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“It is a critical moment.” This phrase by António Costa at the end of the audience with the President of the Republic was the justification for the new request that the government made for a new state of emergency. And that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa appear before the Assembly of the Republic after listening to the parties this Monday afternoon.
The prime minister cited four reasons for this request for an emergency regime, which was already in force in the first wave of the pandemic, in March and April. and that it will now have a “more limited framework” of measures.
1 – The government thus wants to have more legal capacity to impose limitations on freedom of movement.
2 – Impose control of temperature measurement in public places and at work
3 – Use legal means that can encourage individuals and the social sector to provide medical care.
4- And that the work of screening for new covid-19 infections can be carried out by anyone who is not a health professional, including the Armed Forces, although under the supervision of these professionals.
Regarding the limitations on freedom of movement, António Costa admitted that they will be restricted to the municipalities most affected by the pandemic, at this time the 121 already mentioned, but that they could be decreed by days of the week or hours of the day.
He even admitted that it is possible that it occurs between 23:00 and 6:00 in the morning, with due exceptions, to avoid gatherings and parties that have been held during this period. And that can also happen on weekends.
He stressed that not all parties agreed on the issue of the curfew, but in favor of a state of emergency, and the government seems to be moving towards this more controversial measure.
The government leader recalled, however, that public health experts have pointed out that the large outbreaks were the result of family events, such as weddings, baptisms, birthdays and large gatherings.
“People now have less patience to see their freedom limited”, admitted António Costa, but stressed that it is necessary “to avoid gatherings at all costs”, at a time when the country already faces more than four thousand cases of infection per day. And that in November, the prime minister estimated, they should get worse.
“People now have less patience to see their freedom limited”
Without admitting it clearly, and even considering the lack of time, Costa left the door open to the possibility of a more “muscular” confinement in the first weeks of December, when two holidays are marked.
The reevaluation of the conditions of the state of emergency will be done every 15 days, but the Prime Minister has already pointed out the need to be longer than the framework of the first pandemic phase.
IL with reservations about civil requisition
The leader of the Liberal Initiative left the audience as president of the Republic with “many doubts” about the scope of the call for a civil requisition of individuals, cooperatives and the social sector to contain the pandemic. “We will wait for the government decree. We do not like states of emergency and we have a blank check on the use of individuals,” said the deputy.
João Cotrim Figueiredo also left several criticisms of the government about the management of the pandemic and about the lack of planning in human resources and beds in these eight months of the pandemic. Like the lack of commitment to strengthening rapid tests, which is only now being done.
He insisted on the need for “reliable” and “quality” data to have “risk maps”. The IL leader stressed that it is not understood that there is still no data on the economic and social impact of the measures adopted.
Rio admits “national interest”
In addition to the meetings with the President of the Republic, in Porto, the PSD leader recognized the “limited” nature of this new request for a state of emergency and that “it is in the national interest.”
Rui Rio reiterated that an exceptional framework such as the one in force in March and April is not possible because “tough measures” have been taken that are now not possible for economic reasons. “
“If the government understands that the measures it intends to take are unconstitutional if it does not have a state of emergency, if the President of the Republic also understands that, then obviously I give my support.”Rui Rio highlighted.
The leader of the Social Democrats stressed that he intends to be “on the side of the solution and not of the problem” and that “the only thing that remains now” is to add to the pandemic “problems of unconstitutionality.”
“In effect, if the constitutionalists understand that the Government needs a state of emergency to take measures, some of which have already been taken, it is evident that in the national interest we have to declare it,” said Rui Rio, who was speaking, in Porto, on the sidelines of a meeting with the National Association of Clothing and Apparel Industries (ANIVEC).
