This debate was requested by Chega and the PCP and approved by all parties at the Conference of Leaders meeting last week, after Prime Minister Luís Montenegro expressed his intent to provide clarifications to the Assembly of the Republic.
The debate will last about an hour, starting with a six-minute statement from the Government, followed by interventions from all parties, each with the same duration, in order of parliamentary representation, and concluding with another ten-minute speech from the Government.
The debate is set to occur after all opposition parties criticized the Government’s management of forest fires, claiming that it failed to preventively address the situation, did not activate the European Civil Protection Mechanism in a timely manner, or lamented that it did not declare a state of calamity.
Prime Minister Criticized for Attending PSD Event
The parties also criticized the Prime Minister for attending the Festa do Pontal in Calçadão de Quarteira on August 14, amidst ongoing fires, accusing him of detachment and lack of empathy.
Luís Montenegro responded to these criticisms by acknowledging that he might have contributed to a perception of the Government’s lack of closeness, although he deemed it unfair, asserting that he fulfilled all his responsibilities, and expressed “total confidence” in the national fire-fighting apparatus, emphasizing that it is the “biggest ever,” although he admitted that “not everything went well.”
In an extraordinary Council of Ministers meeting last week, the Government also approved support measures for populations affected by the fires – already promulgated by the President of the Republic – and an intervention plan for forests until 2050, which will be submitted to the Assembly of the Republic and which Luís Montenegro expressed a desire to become a pact for forest management and territory protection.
Despite these measures and explanations, Chega, the Left Bloc, and Junto pelo Povo (JPP) have already announced that they will propose a parliamentary inquiry commission into the management of the fires, coupled with PS requests for an independent technical commission to investigate what they consider to be a “lack of political leadership” in this situation.
Fires Resulted in Four Deaths and Consumed Over 250,000 Hectares
Continental Portugal has been affected by multiple large-scale rural fires since July, primarily in the North and Center regions.
The fires resulted in four deaths, including a firefighter, and several injuries, some serious, and completely or partially destroyed primary and secondary homes, as well as agricultural and livestock ventures and forested areas.
According to provisional official data, as of August 23, approximately 250,000 hectares burned in the country, more than 57,000 of which were in a fire that began in Arganil.
Detentions for Forest Fire Suspicion Increased in August
In addition to the number of fires, the month of August also saw an increase in detentions made by the Polícia Judiciária for suspected forest fire crimes. According to information in the communiqués published by the PJ, consulted by Lusa, between January 1 and August 25, 53 people were detained, 26 of whom were arrested this August.
On the GNR side, this police recorded 42 detentions in flagrante delicto up to August 13. Combining the data from the GNR and the PJ, at least 95 people have been detained this year.
As for those convicted of fire crimes, data provided to Lusa by the Directorate-General for Reintegration and Prison Services (DGRSP) revealed that there are currently 22 individuals sentenced with a suspended sentence who are required to stay at home with an electronic bracelet, between July and September – a measure that has been provided for in the law for eight years.
According to the DGRSP, whose most recent data was sent this Monday, there are 43 convicted inmates, 24 non-criminally responsible individuals, 44 detainees in preventive custody awaiting trial, and 3 awaiting final judgments in Portuguese prisons.
