Border controls to be re-imposed for Lisbon NATO summit

Portugal has this week confirmed that is taking no risks next November when the world’s most influential leaders gather in Lisbon for the three-day NATO summit which will also coincide with the EU-US summit.

The “exceptional measure” aims to help guarantee “internal security and the maintenance of public order” during the November 19-20 apex meeting of the alliance, the Ministry of Internal Affairs was quoted as saying by the Lusa News Agency.
Concerned over the threat that terrorists, anarchists and extremists pose, Portugal has involved all its law enforcement agencies and the Ministry for Internal Affairs has issued strict orders that no police officer be given leave for the duration of the two summits.
The decision was made over concerns that the presence of world leaders such as U.S. President Barack Obama could result in huge demonstrations and major disruption in the Portuguese capital in November.
Portuguese officials will therefore be on high alert from November 17 to November 19, when the NATO summit takes place, which is followed on November 20 by the EU-US summit.
Immigration officers have reportedly also been told they are to return to monitoring the border with Spain, while their numbers will also be boosted at airports across the country. Officers from other police forces have been placed on standby should the need arise for reinforcements during the summit.
NATO summits are not regular occurrences, and the Lisbon summit will be only the 22nd held since the creation of the organisation back in 1949, hence concerns that extremist groups will be looking to make the ‘most’ of this particular event.
The Schengen Agreement, which Portugal signed in 1995, encourages the free movement of people between signatory states.
However, the Accord permits the temporary re-imposition of border controls under exceptional circumstances.