Stories from Portugal

Authorities are investigating suspected influence peddling related to a data center project in Sines, Portugal. A 2022 conversation between Lacer da Machado and former Prime Minister António Costa has raised questions regarding the project's licensing process. The investigation focuses on whether improper influence was used to expedite the development. The current president of the Portuguese Constitution is also mentioned in relation to the context of the inquiry. An investigation named Operation Influencer is examining suspicions of influence peddling regarding a data center construction project in Sines. A 2022 wiretap between Diogo Lacerda Machado and former Prime Minister António Costa has surfaced, specifically discussing the Sines project. The current President of the European Court of Justice is currently in Portugal visiting a university.

The list of unavailable players for Sporting CP continues to increase ahead of tomorrow's match at Estádio José Alvalade. Reported absences include Ivan, Fregeneda, and Nácio. The squad situation remains uncertain following a press conference. The Sporting CP coach adopted a relaxed posture in the press room despite end-of-season pressure. He responded to all journalist questions regarding recent events.

The President of the Regional Coordination and Development Commission of the Center revealed that several false statements were detected in applications for reconstruction aid following the Ribaustivos storms. Former Prime Minister António Costa declined to comment when confronted with this information. The Regional Coordination and Development Commission of the Center (CCDR-C) has received several false declarations regarding aid requests for storm reconstruction. Riba Ostevas, president of the commission, reported that these fraudulent claims were submitted to the agency. The investigation follows recent storm damage in the region.

Three Public Ministry inspectors, who also serve as prosecutors, are conducting an inspection of the sixth section of the DCAP. The source suggests the current management of the Teixeira section is ineffective for combating financial crime. Inspectors have identified resource deficiencies within a Portuguese judicial department. There are concerns that computers are not consistently connected to the information network due to security protocols. The Ministry of Justice must ensure that the technological infrastructure is fully secure to prevent past vulnerabilities. Officials at the CEP have reportedly opted not to connect computers to the network due to security concerns. The Ministry of Justice is responsible for ensuring the adequacy of the technological platform to maintain a swift justice system.

The Portuguese economy loses 200 million euros per year due to illicit access to audiovisual content. This figure was provided by the European Union Intellectual Property Institute. Leiria Mayor Gonçalo Lopes expressed concerns regarding the upcoming fire season and the need for land cleaning.

An estimated 8 million trees have been destroyed, according to local council reports. The destruction has left approximately 30% of the local population without fiber optic internet or television access. Officials expressed concern regarding the upcoming fire season and the scale of territory requiring cleaning. The damage is particularly noted in the Cristián depression area. The destruction impacts areas including the Cristian depression. The affected areas consist of private forests rather than public land. Owners of the destroyed pine trees, some of which are 30 years old, are attempting to assess the remaining value of the timber. Leiria Mayor Gonçalo Lopes expressed concern regarding the scale of the loss.

Approximately 20,000 clients have been without communications services for three months. The situation remains a primary concern for those affected. Operators are reinforcing teams on the ground to restore full communications across territories. The situation continues to have a negative impact on the region while the restoration process is ongoing. The outage lasted for more than 12 hours and the causes are currently unknown. At least 20,000 people in Portugal remain without communications following recent storms. The government presented a plan that lacked specific implementation details or a schedule for resolution. The broadcaster noted the situation is unusual for a developed nation. The current situation persists months after the storms occurred. A technical team was previously established to address system issues, but results from a 12-month evaluation have not been released.

Portugal has installed an autonomous power restart mechanism, known as a black start, in two additional power plants to reinforce electrical grid resilience. Energy specialist Pedro Sampaio Nuno stated the mechanism allows the system to restart without waiting for input from Spain. The technology was previously only available in Castelo de Vide. This measure follows a recent blackout. The National Electricity Network (REN) has updated its power restoration plan to include two new dams, Alqueva and Baixo Sabor. The Baixo Sabor dam is capable of desynchronizing to create energy islands, allowing other power plants to be synchronized with that island. This mechanism is intended to stabilize the grid across the country. The dam is owned by Mauvera.

Paul Santos of the Civismo Movement is suggesting legislative changes to allow for fines against individuals accessing digital and audiovisual content illegally. The proposal aims to implement a pedagogical function alongside financial penalties for piracy. This comes as part of ongoing discussions regarding digital piracy in Portugal. The group seeks to identify technical methods to detect piracy consumption.

Portugal is among the European Union countries with the highest consumption of digital and audiovisual piracy, according to data from the European Union Intellectual Property Office. While over one-third of Portuguese workers hold higher education degrees, wages remain below the European average. The government has proposed changes to labor laws, which have led to several manifestations across the country. The country is surpassed only by Greece, which averages 41 hours, followed by Poland at 40 hours and Bulgaria at 39.9 hours. These statistics apply to the employed population aged 15 to 64, according to Pordata data. Eurostat data released on Labor Day indicates high levels of job precariousness among young people in Portugal. Similar trends in precarious employment were noted in the Netherlands, Poland, France, and Spain. This figure is higher than the EU average of 37 hours per week.