## Construction Industry Applauds VAT Reduction

The Portuguese construction sector has warmly welcomed the government's decision to **reduce VAT to 6% for construction and housing rehabilitation**, a move that aligns with long-standing industry demands. This measure is seen as a crucial incentive to boost the market.

### Calls for Interpretive Norm on Pending Cases

However, industry leaders emphasize that the reduction **"doesn't make sense without clarifying" pending situations**. Manuel Reis Campos, President of the Association of Civil Construction and Public Works Industries and the Portuguese Confederation of Construction and Real Estate, praised the measure but highlighted the need for an **"interpretive norm"** to address the many large ongoing processes. He expressed hope that these details would be resolved during the legislative process.

A redução do IVA para a construção e reabilitação vai ao encontro do que o setor da construção vinha a pedir e, sem surpresas, a medida é aplaudida. No entanto, os empresários esperam ainda que sejam clarificados vários detalhes e pedem uma “norma interpretativa” para os processos em curso, que são “muitos e grandes”.

Construction Sector Celebrates 6% VAT Cut But Demands Clarity on Ongoing Projects

## Safety Crisis at Lisbon's Rainha Santa Isabel School

**A primary school in Lisbon's Campo de Ourique neighborhood has been forced to close** due to serious safety concerns following persistent rainfall that triggered fire alarms and electrical problems. The Escola Básica Rainha Santa Isabel will remain closed on Monday as authorities address the dangerous conditions.

### Electrical Hazards Force Emergency Evacuation

On Friday, persistent rainfall caused water infiltration that **triggered fire alarms** during lunchtime while children were in the cafeteria. School officials were unable to deactivate the alarms without shutting down the entire electrical system, forcing them to call parents to pick up their children immediately.

Mafalda Ambrósio from the Parents' Association told Lusa news agency: "We received information that firefighters were on site and indicated that for safety reasons, the school will not open until repairs are made. For now, it's known that children will not have school on Monday."

### Years of Neglected Maintenance

The school has been operating in **temporary modular buildings since 2021**, with approximately 160 students who were supposed to return to their original building on Santa Quitéria Street this academic year. However, renovation work that began five years ago remains incomplete.

Parents allege that both the **Lisbon City Council and Campo de Ourique Parish Council have completely failed in their maintenance responsibilities**. The Parents' Association spokesperson emphasized: "What really concerns us here is all the negligence that occurred, because this could have been avoided if there had been proper maintenance of the modular buildings."

### Escalating Problems and Blame Game

The situation began deteriorating in **February of last year** when significant water infiltration made one of the kindergarten classrooms unusable. At that time, children had to be relocated to the teachers' lounge until the issue was resolved.

This autumn, the problem resurfaced with even greater severity. Investigation revealed that the **installed drainage pipes are insufficient for proper water runoff**, requiring additional intervention.

According to the Parents' Association, the City Council had requested the Parish Council to clean gutters and roofing to ensure proper drainage function. However, the Parish Council cleaned all roofs except those covering the gymnasium and support room - precisely where Friday's rainfall caused the water infiltration that led to the current crisis.

### Uncertain Future for Students

The spokesperson expressed frustration about the ongoing blame-shifting: "There's a pushing of responsibilities between whether it's the City Council's responsibility or the Parish Council's, and nobody actually takes responsibility for having 160 children in a school who need to be safe and have conditions for a healthy, normal school year."

Regarding the original school building, parents say they have "absolutely no information" about when renovations will be completed. Initial projections indicated a September opening, then December of this year, but recent communications suggest even Easter might be optimistic.

The school serves two kindergarten classes and five primary school classes, all now facing uncertainty about their educational continuity.

Pais alegam que Câmara Municipal e a Junta de Freguesia de Campo de Ourique 'faltaram totalmente às suas responsabilidades com a manutenção das instalações', temporárias desde 2021. 

Lisbon School Forced to Close Due to Safety Hazards After Years of Neglect

## Union Leader Condemns Government's Labor Package

Mário Mourão, the **secretary-general of UGT**, has strongly criticized the proposed labor reform, describing it as **"a marvel" for employers**. He emphasized that **"the strike is an instrument to force the table to negotiate"**, highlighting the union's strategic use of industrial action.

### Historic Joint Strike Action

This marks the first time in **12 years** that both **UGT and CGTP** have called a general strike together. The last such joint action occurred during the **troika period**, making this a significant moment in Portuguese labor relations.

### Government Negotiations Stalled

Despite the UGT's continued willingness to negotiate, Mourão stated that the **latest government proposal** fails to deliver **"significant advances"**. The union leader expressed frustration with how Prime Minister **Luís Montenegro's administration** has handled the negotiations.

### Strike as Necessary Action

While Mourão believes that **"the best strike is the one that doesn't happen"**, he remains convinced that the UGT **must proceed with this general strike** to challenge what he sees as an employer-friendly labor package that disadvantages workers.

Mário Mourão, secretário-geral da UGT, considera que a reforma laboral em cima da mesa “é uma maravilha” para os patrões. E destaca que “a greve é um instrumento para obrigar a mesa a negociar”.

UGT Leader Slams Labor Reform: 'Bosses Have Never Had It So Good'

## A Stain on Lisbon's Democracy

When we're told that history is cyclical, we realize that cycles often sink into oblivion because they're usually long. However, what happened in the election of the Lisbon Municipal Assembly's Bureau transports us to a very recent past, signaling a repetition of a much shorter cycle, revealing a **democratic desperation**.

In 2015, Pedro Passos Coelho won the legislative elections, albeit without a majority. The tradition that April's freedom consolidated in November's democracy was that parties accepted that the most voted force would form the government.

And in those years, in denial of the Portuguese rejection of socialist leadership, the radical left invented a new tradition: even if others win, the left unites to change traditions.

Ten years later, the PS repeated the exercise, but based on the conviction that the Left Bloc is more acceptable in democracy than the current Chega.

And let's be clear, the PS did not fall to the left out of naivety, but by **strategic choice**.

There are moments in public life when the attentive observer cannot help but frown, like someone finding a stubborn stain on new linen.

And Lisbon, always patient and courteous, now finds itself confronted with one of those stains, where the left, contrary to the will of Lisbon's residents, decided to extend its old shawl over the Municipal Assembly, not to protect it from the cold, but to hide it from the light.

The election of the Municipal Assembly Bureau was not, as would be expected in an enlightened democracy, an exercise in respect for the majority.

The left, minority but ingenious, united with the pride of those who, unable to command the ship, demand at least to hold the helm of the boat.

A revealing fact of a political phenomenon that deserves careful attention: defeated for the City Council, they still found a way to preserve control of the oversight body through a new coalition.

All this despite the sum of mandates clearly and unequivocally showing that Lisbon voted mostly to the right.

The political forces on the right (PSD, Chega, IL, and CDS) total 38 municipal deputies, while the political forces on the left (PS, Livre, BE, PAN, and CDU) only have 37.

And, even so, it is the left that comes to preside over the bureau of the body that oversees the executive.

At the installation session, the new president of the Municipal Assembly, elected by the PS, rehearsed words of balance, moderation, and institutional respect.

However, the speech did not survive the echo of the walls.

Shortly after, Alexandra Leitão announced that she would not enable budgets nor facilitate strategic proposals from Carlos Moedas' executive.

What could have been a gesture of institutional cooperation turned into a declaration of **political war**.

All this, because she knows she does not have a majority in the Municipal Assembly.

She even knows that the will of Lisbon's residents leaned to the right.

But, knowing all this, she insists on governing the deliberative body against the majority, like a troupe that, chased off the main stage, hangs onto the scenery wires to continue gesturing to the audience.

And thus, André Moz Caldas' speech of balance fell dead to the ground.

It didn't even live the time of a bell toll from the Sé.

This rehearsed contradiction impels us to a harsh reality. There will be no collaboration and respect. The AML will be the stage for the left's siege of Carlos Moedas' governance, and they will do everything to undermine the realization of Moedas' ambition for Lisbon.

Now, Lisbon does not deserve this pantomime.

The situation requires clarification, since the PS refused to accept the invitation to integrate a list headed by the first elected with the most votes (Margarida Mano), and because the will of Lisbon's residents was expressed at the polls with a right-wing majority, then that majority should preside over the Municipal Assembly.

And it is precisely here that the PSD, responsible for municipal governance, will not allow any dome of ambiguities. The city demands clarity. It demands respect for the vote. It demands that the majority that elected the right to lead the City Council also has voice and dignity in the Municipal Assembly.

This PSD, because it can rely on a majority, will not hand it over to the radical left. No more geringonça that harms the city, like the one in 2015 harmed the country, will be repeated.

And, curiously, in an irony of the times, Chega has shown signs of moderation in the AML. It did not attack, did not invade the tables of deliberation. It abstained because it demanded recognition of its relevance in a framework where, traditionally, it was ignored.

To better describe the next steps, I allow myself to plagiarize and adapt the famous phrase of Eça, that ironic moralist who saw the country as a bourgeois house where rubbish is so often swept under the rug:

This Municipal Assembly Bureau will not fall because it is not a building;

it will come out with benzine because it is a stain.

And the benzine, in this case, is democracy.

Esta Mesa da Assembleia Municipal não cairá porque não é um edifício; sairá com benzina porque é uma nódoa.

Lisbon's Political Drama: Left-Wing Coalition Seizes Control Against Voter Mandate

**Portugal has been battered by relentless heavy rain**, leading to a staggering 2806 weather-related incidents recorded between Wednesday at 2 PM and Friday at 10 PM. This severe weather has resulted in **two fatalities in Fernão Ferro, Seixal**, and forced **32 people to evacuate their homes** in municipalities including Abrantes, Salvaterra de Magos, Seixal, and Pombal.

### Most Affected Regions
- The **Península of Setúbal** tops the list with 597 occurrences.
- **Greater Lisbon** follows with 349 incidents.
- The **Algarve** region reported 285 cases.

### Breakdown of Incidents
- **Flooding** dominated with 1507 reports.
- **Fallen trees** accounted for 529 occurrences.
- **Road clearing** made up 311 incidents.

Emergency response involved **7682 personnel and 2947 vehicles** deployed to manage the crisis.

### Landslide in Azeitão
In Azeitão, Setúbal, a **landslide destroyed approximately 20 meters of Rua da Mata** and damaged the power supply to the local hospital. José Luís Bucho, Municipal Civil Protection Coordinator, stated that the slide was likely caused by **water accumulation in an uncleaned ditch**, with ongoing investigations into whether the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) or a private entity is responsible. **E-Redes quickly provided generators** to restore power to the hospital and water extraction points.

### Extreme Weather in the Algarve
Faro experienced **extreme wind phenomena** on Friday morning, causing tree and structure falls, though no injuries were reported. This follows significant impacts from **Depression Cláudia** in the sotavento Algarve region on Thursday.

### Civil Protection Recommendations
Civil Protection emphasizes that **preventive behaviors can minimize weather impacts**. Key advice includes:
- **Clear rainwater drainage systems** to prevent blockages.
- **Avoid wooded areas** due to risks of falling trees.
- **Stay away from coastal and riverside zones**.
- On roads, practice **defensive driving by reducing speed** and watching for water accumulation.
- **Do not cross flooded areas** to avoid being swept away.

### Weather Warnings
- The Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) has issued an **orange warning for Faro, Beja, and Setúbal** from 9 AM to 3 PM on Saturday, forecasting **persistent, sometimes heavy rain with thunderstorms**.
- A **yellow wind warning** is also in effect for these districts, with gusts up to **80 km/h**.
- All mainland districts remain under a **yellow rain warning** until 9 PM Friday, and the entire coast is under a **yellow maritime agitation warning** from midnight to 6 PM Saturday.
- In Madeira, weather is expected to worsen until Saturday afternoon due to **Depression Cláudia**, particularly affecting the south coast and mountainous areas.

### Railway Disruptions and Restorations
- **Rail service on the Beira Baixa Line** between Covilhã and Tortosendo, interrupted by a **derailment of an empty train** on Thursday, resumed at 6:40 AM Friday.
- **Bus transfers were arranged** between Fundão and Guarda for affected passengers.
- Other lines experienced disruptions, including the **North Line** (Entroncamento to Riachos), **West Line** (Louriçal to Amieira), **Beira Alta Line** (Contenças), and **Alentejo Line** (Pinhal Novo to Poceirão).

Foram registadas quase 2806 ocorrências até às 22h desta sexta-feira relacionadas com o mau tempo.

Severe Storms Wreak Havoc in Portugal: Over 2800 Incidents, 32 Displaced, and Widespread Disruptions

## Incident Overview

A **TAP flight** bound for **Venice** was struck by **lightning** just one hour after takeoff from Lisbon. The incident occurred as the aircraft was approaching **Ponte de Sôr**, forcing it to turn back to the capital.

## Details of the Emergency

According to reports from **CNN Portugal**, the lightning strike caused one of the engines to **lose power**, leading to a **propulsion failure**. The pilots managed the situation and executed a safe emergency landing at **Humberto Delgado Airport** in Lisbon.

## Passenger Handling and Aircraft Status

Following the landing, the **Airbus A320** was grounded for **inspection** to assess any damage. All passengers were **transferred to another aircraft**, which successfully reached Venice around 9 PM.

![TAP aircraft](https://bordalo.observador.pt/v2/q:60/rs:fill:980/c:2000:1122:nowe:0:103/plain/https://s3.observador.pt/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/25172921/41400798.jpg)

Voo da companhia aérea portuguesa tinha como destino Veneza, mas foi quando estava a chegar a Ponte de Sôr que foi obrigado a voltar para a capital. Passageiros foram transferidos para outro avião.

TAP Flight Struck by Lightning: Emergency Return to Lisbon After Engine Failure

## A Glimpse into Lisbon's Past

**Pátio da Quintinha**, an urban island in Lisbon's Marvila area, once belonged to the noble family of the **Marquês de Marialva**. Originally a support structure for the old Cais Marialva, it features stunning 17th-century azulejos (traditional Portuguese tiles) and has retained its original layout with protective walls, covered passageways, arches, and stone-paved courtyards.

Over time, it was adapted into workers' housing but preserved its historic charm. Recently, this property went up for an **online auction** as part of a legal enforcement process against A.C. Rodrigues, Construções e Investimentos, based in Moita.

## Auction Details and Challenges

The auction set a **base value of 2.352 million euros**, with a minimum required bid of around two million euros. Covering a total area of 3,388 square meters, including 1,442 square meters under roof, the property comprises 49 units that can be used independently. Its historical significance in Marvila/Beato adds **patrimonial value**, attracting investors focused on rehabilitation with local identity.

However, the property comes with significant burdens: it is occupied by 33 tenants or occupants under old, unwritten agreements due to long-standing possession. The auctioneer, Leilosoc, clarified that resolving these occupancy issues, including potential evictions or regularizations, falls solely on the future buyer.

## The Bidding Duel

On Friday, November 14, at 18:00, the auction concluded after a brief **bidding duel** lasting just a few minutes. Starting at one million euros, it saw five bids of 10,000 euros each, with the highest offer reaching **1.05 million euros**—only half the minimum required. This result classifies the bid as conditional, meaning it is not immediately considered for adjudication.

## Investment Potential and Risks

Situated in the dynamic and rapidly transforming Marvila neighborhood, one of Lisbon's most promising areas, Pátio da Quintinha offers unique opportunities but requires careful handling of its legacy issues. Investors must weigh the **historical allure** against the complexities of tenant regularization.

“Ilha urbana” situada na zona de Marvila, que em tempos longínquos pertenceu à casa senhorial do Marquês de Marialva, acabou em leilão eletrónico, na sequência do processo executivo de uma construtora, por um valor base de 2,352 milhões de euros. 

Construction Sector Celebrates 6% VAT Cut But Demands Clarity on Ongoing Projects

Summary:

Construction sector applauds government's VAT reduction to 6% for construction and housing rehabilitation

Industry leaders call for "interpretive norm" to clarify many large ongoing processes

Manuel Reis Campos emphasizes measure "doesn't make sense without clarifying" pending situations

VAT cut seen as fundamental incentive to boost construction market

Construction Industry Applauds VAT Reduction

Calls for Interpretive Norm on Pending Cases

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Other Latest News

Lisbon School Forced to Close Due to Safety Hazards After Years of Neglect

UGT Leader Slams Labor Reform: 'Bosses Have Never Had It So Good'

Lisbon's Political Drama: Left-Wing Coalition Seizes Control Against Voter Mandate

Severe Storms Wreak Havoc in Portugal: Over 2800 Incidents, 32 Displaced, and Widespread Disruptions

TAP Flight Struck by Lightning: Emergency Return to Lisbon After Engine Failure

Lisbon's Historic Pátio da Quintinha Sells for Half Its Minimum Price in Online Auction Drama

Other Latest News

Lisbon School Forced to Close Due to Safety Hazards After Years of Neglect

UGT Leader Slams Labor Reform: 'Bosses Have Never Had It So Good'

Lisbon's Political Drama: Left-Wing Coalition Seizes Control Against Voter Mandate

Severe Storms Wreak Havoc in Portugal: Over 2800 Incidents, 32 Displaced, and Widespread Disruptions

TAP Flight Struck by Lightning: Emergency Return to Lisbon After Engine Failure

Lisbon's Historic Pátio da Quintinha Sells for Half Its Minimum Price in Online Auction Drama