In a press conference of the District Civil Protection Commission, António Pina mentioned that there were people from other parts of the country “who were not sensitive to the appeal” of the authorities and who travelled to the Algarve, although “in small quantities” and who are staying mostly in the tourist areas of the region.
Questioned by Lusa about the perception of the local authorities regarding the number of non-residents who settled in the region, the official stressed that the data he has are of is of an “informal” nature and is based, above all, on reports that reach the mayors, through the citizens, and also of the security forces, who realise that “some urbanisations are now more populated”.
"But let us not create alarmism, because in fact there are some, but there are not that many", underlined the chairman of the District Civil Protection Commission, adding that he hopes that these people "know to behave in the same way that the Algarvians have done so until now".
On the same occasion, the regional health delegate, Ana Cristina Guerreiro, also affirmed that the municipal Civil Protection teams “have reported that they notice some movement of people from outside”, however, she considered, this increase in people “will not have a great impact ”In the epidemiological situation in the Algarve.
Source of the Faro district command PSP told Lusa that he had received complaints, “essentially in the municipality of Portimão”, via “email or phone” over the last ten days, from people who “supposedly have reached second homes” coming other counties.
However, the fact that they have already made the trip ”means that the police authorities“ can do little ”,“ unless it is possible to prove that the day of travel took place during the period [of compulsory residence in the municipality of residence] ] decreed by the Government ”, through“ witnesses or proof of circulation on the motorways ”exemplified the same source.
Speaking to Lusa, the Mayor of Portimão, Isilda Gomes, acknowledged that some residents reported situations of non-residents who have arrived in the municipality, “with houses that are not occupied in the winter revealing occupation movements”.
“I am 100% sure that there are people breaking the obligation to stay in your municipality. Just yesterday, a taxi driver showed me that he had found lots of cars unpacking and taking them to the apartments and that he didn't realize this ”, he regretted, adding that the increase in the number of people and noted“ even in supermarkets ”.
Considering that municipalities "can do little on these occasions", he revealed that the City Council of Portimão is sensitizing people "not to leave the house and comply with the rules" through messages transmitted "in Portuguese and in English" by sounding the tsumani warning sirens and sounding the fire brigade siren "when many people are detected on the streets".
Isilda Gomes praised the measure taken by the Government, arguing that "now is not the time to put military personnel on the street to send people home," noting that this is a matter of "civic awareness and responsibility that many people do not have".
Last week, the PSP even detected situations in which citizens “did not fully justify” going to a city 50 kilometers away from their area of ??residence “to go to a supermarket or a pharmacy” and were “accompanied until to the limit of the municipality ”to go home.
That police force has received other complaints, namely, the existence of "gatherings" or related to neighbours "who have not been complying with some of the containment measures" imposed by the state of emergency.
Contacted by Lusa, a source from the National Republican Guard said "I have not received any official complaints" from similar cases in the Algarve.
Non-residents have arrived in the Algarve but "in small quantities"
in News · 10 Apr 2020, 17:15 · 2 Comments
This is not true. I live in Aljezur and even though the TV told people not to come to Algarve, many day's ago and the police blocked the A2, my area is filled with Lisboetas who arrived presumably using back roads at night and are now at their second homes.
The first place they visit the next day is the supermarket where they may well be spreading Covid-19 to the rest of us.
Only in August have I seen so many strangers’
By Paul Morris from Algarve on 10 Apr 2020, 20:49
I live in Albufeira marina. Next to my apartment here the people goes Changing in 2/3 days . I guess it’s going to be the problem of covid 19. The people here in last week is not the same as now. They told me that they are Portuguese but I don’t think they are Portuguese because they speak English with me once in my conversation. I’m very afraid of this now.
By Rajendra from Algarve on 11 Apr 2020, 14:40