In a statement, the sole deputy of the PAN party announced the introduction of five initiatives, including three draft laws and two resolutions, in response to the recent spate of wildfires affecting the country. The party aims to “combat the devastating impact of the fires” and “address the lack of strategy shown by the Government.”
One of the proposed laws seeks to amend the Penal Code to require that “all individuals convicted of the crime of forest arson who are at liberty” wear electronic tags annually from May to October.
Inês de Sousa Real also suggests the government approve an “integrated and holistic strategy to combat arson, ensuring close coordination between the Ministry of Internal Administration, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.”
This strategy, as part of the Integrated Rural Fire Management System, should “include the creation of multidisciplinary social reintegration and mental health teams for arsonists diagnosed with addictive behaviors and dependencies.”
According to Inês de Sousa Real, a preliminary study by the Judiciary Police indicates that “the profile of an arsonist in Portugal is associated with alcoholism, social exclusion, and psychological disorders,” yet “the only measures planned focus on surveillance, investigation, and detection, without addressing the social and public health roots tied to the issue.”
The PAN party also proposes the “re-establishment of the Independent Technical Observatory to analyze, monitor, and evaluate forest and rural fires” and calls for an “independent assessment of the severe fires” this year.
Additionally, the PAN calls for an extraordinary increase in funding for the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection by approximately 11 million euros, to cover “the additional costs to volunteer firefighters’ associations due to the updated minimum monthly salary.”
The People-Animals-Nature party urges the government to reimburse the “advances made by the volunteer firefighters’ associations in fighting fires in 2025—an estimated amount of more than 300,000 euros—and to revise the funding model to ensure fair and prompt compensation to associations for services rendered in the name of the State.”
The PAN also advocates for the creation of a “national program for the removal of eucalyptus and the re-naturalization of forests, starting January 1, 2026, offering incentives for the removal of eucalyptus and financial support for conversion and reforestation operations.”
The sole deputy proposes a 15-year ban on planting eucalyptus, favoring the cultivation of native species such as cork oak, oak, or chestnut.
