Monday, 6 July 2026

The National Republican Guard (Guarda Nacional Republicana or GNR) concluded its border control mission at Lisbon Airport this Sunday. On Monday, 367 new Public Security Police (Polícia de Segurança Pública or PSP) officers will begin a two-week operational internship to take over these duties at Lisbon, Porto, Faro, and island airports.

The Portuguese government is considering extending the current state of alert (situação de alerta) into next week as temperatures are forecast to reach 47°C. While the fire in Vouzela remains a major concern, authorities have requested international assistance to bolster firefighting efforts across the country.

Update: Vouzela fire contained as heatwave continues

The fire in Vouzela is now considered contained after burning over 12,000 hectares, though authorities report frequent reignitions. Over 1,200 firefighters, supported by international teams from Spain, remain on the ground as several districts remain under a red weather warning.

The death toll from the double earthquake that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 3,342, with 16,740 people reported injured. Among the victims, at least 95 are Portuguese citizens or people of Portuguese descent, while 58 others remain missing or unreachable.

The Treasury and Public Debt Management Agency (Agência de Gestão da Tesouraria e da Dívida Pública or IGCP) has launched the new Series 5 Treasury Certificates while suspending subscriptions for the previous Treasury Savings Value Certificates. While these new products offer competitive rates, consumer protection groups note that some bank deposits currently provide better returns for larger savings amounts.

The Ministries of Health and Finance have transferred 200 million euros to the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS) to settle debts to external suppliers. The funds are specifically designated for Local Health Units (Unidades Locais de Saúde) and the Portuguese Institute of Oncology (Instituto Português de Oncologia) to cover invoices overdue by more than 60 days.

Starting July 19, the entire Algarve rail line will operate with electric trains. The national rail operator, CP - Comboios de Portugal, is using the transition to overhaul its commercial schedule, which will increase service frequency, eliminate the need for transfers, and reduce travel times.

The Left Bloc (Bloco de Esquerda or BE) and the Portuguese Communist Party (Partido Comunista Português or PCP) are calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the digital grading system used for national exams. Lawmakers cite widespread technical failures, including missing papers and illegible scans, which have delayed results and caused significant disruption for students.

New management rules for the National User Registry (Registo Nacional de Utentes) came into effect this Saturday to update the database of 20 million records. Users who have not interacted with the health system for five years risk losing their assigned family doctor, though authorities emphasize that emergency care will not be denied.