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This Friday, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa justified the renewal of the state of emergency with the “extended calendar” so that vaccines are widely available and even for priority groups, rejecting “excessive expectations”, and mentioned other factors such as the increase in cases serious deaths and deaths from covid-19. He hopes that the “possible exception” at Christmas is well understood and lived, without paving the way for the “dreaded third wave” and “total lockdowns.”
“I decreed the renewal of the state of emergency for the period that begins at zero hours on the 9th and ends at 11:59 pm on December 23,” he announced in a statement from the Palace of Belém.
The President of the Republic explains that he has decreed the new state of emergency for continuing to “concern the pressure on hospitalizations and intensive care, as well as the high number of deaths.” Furthermore, “what is known about vaccines, specifically the first two pending approval by the European Medicines Agency, confirms that their arrival to all Portuguese who want to receive them, without excluding anyone, much less old ghettos “. , It obeys to extended calendars in time “. Therefore, it is a matter of several months, not days or weeks, even for the projected priority groups”.
The president claims to comply with the Constitution
“It is good that this is clarified so that excessive expectations and therefore immediate disappointment are not created. Therefore, all tranquility is wrong and all prevention is imperative throughout December and in early 2021,” he added.
The head of state says that it is still necessary to foresee a state of emergency beyond the 23rd, explaining the reason why he already points to a renewal until January 7. “It is not a matter of breaching the Constitution, which requires a maximum period of 15 days for the state of emergency and its renewals,” he guaranteed. Before the 23rd, the process for a new decree will be completed, he said, noting that at that time it will be confirmed in what state the pandemic is.
“Possible exception well lived” and without causing “out of control”
The president also explained that the decree maintains unaltered the framework that allows imposing between 9 and 23 the same rigor of the current period and “the same end is underlying for the following period, from January 23 to 7, with the possible exception of who hopes that it is well understood and that Christmas is well lived. “
According to Marcelo, “the search for a less intense regime at Christmas, which is carried out, will be aimed at allowing the families the long-awaited meeting, avoiding opening the door to a later debauchery, at a cost.” very high two or three weeks later, that is, in January. “
“The idea is, therefore, not to endanger the Christmas spirit, but without concentrating on a single moment, and with greater respect for the rules that can prevent widespread family infections.”
“Obviously, it is in everyone’s interest that January could represent a consolidation of the steps taken in December and not a new and frustrating rise that will end up accentuating the dimension of a feared third wave.”
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also justified that it is necessary to avoid “total confinements, even if they are located.”
The Assembly of the Republic approved this Friday the renewal of the state of emergency until the 23rd of this month and the presidential decree also points to an extension at least until January 7 that allows the Government to adopt measures for the Christmas and New Year celebrations . .
In his sixth diploma on the state of emergency, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa considered it foreseeable that “it should be extended for at least one period until January 7, which will allow the Government to predict and announce the measures to be taken during the Christmas periods.” and New Year, especially since the good news about vaccination will only begin to have widespread repercussions throughout the year 2021 ”.
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