The Judicial Personnel Union (SFJ) reported that the Faro courthouse, which experienced interior flooding affecting the work of staff and magistrates, is leased to Estamo, a public capital company managing real estate, and has had pending repair requests from the Faro district for several years.
“Only the staff’s improvisation prevented more significant material damage,” said the SFJ’s general secretary.
The building’s employees had to use plastic sheets to cover computers and other equipment, as well as legal documents and evidence, which could have been destroyed, according to the union official.
“Estamo has not carried out any repairs, and it was predictable this would happen,” he added.
António Albuquerque also mentioned findings of leaks in the Albufeira Court, also in the Algarve, and on the top floor of the Sintra Court, located in a newer building that also suffered water ingress.
In a statement released today, the Portuguese Judges’ Union (ASJP) once again called for an “urgent intervention from the Ministry of Justice” regarding court infrastructure to ensure “dignified conditions.”
“The episodes of extreme precipitation have dramatically exposed the structural fragility and obsolescence of many judicial buildings, proving incapable of withstanding meteorological phenomena, even those beyond usual parameters. For ASJP, Justice cannot continue to be penalized by problems transcending judicial activities but directly affecting them, endangering the work’s security and dignity,” the statement read.
Citing the document, the union’s president, Nuno Matos, emphasized this situation is “not isolated” but rather “the result of continued negligence in building maintenance,” demanding a comprehensive intervention beyond mere patching, ensuring structures that can stand up to modern standards of Justice.
The ASJP advocates for a broader intervention that includes improvements in climate control and energy efficiency, safety, accessibility, and more.
Today, Faro was the most affected municipality in the Algarve due to adverse weather, despite heavy rain and winds also causing floods and fallen trees in other municipalities, according to the Civil Protection source.
Mainland Portugal and the Madeira archipelago have been experiencing the impacts of Depression Claudia, marked by heavy rain, winds, and maritime turbulence, which are expected to continue in the coming hours.
