Chilly Carnival P2P2P2 Figures published this week show economy is officially back from the brink This year’s Carnival might have been chilly but the masses still turned out in force to enjoy the celebrations. Pet Neglect PPP666 GNR police registered close to 1,000 crimes of animal neglect in 2017. Wayward Women P1P1P1444 A new study has found that Portugal’s women are adopting increasingly risky behaviours in terms of drugs and alcohol consumption, particularly the more mature women. WEATHER P2P2P2 2 The Portugal News 17 Feb 2018 Front Page Story Fastest growth this Carnival revellers br ANGLOPRESS Edições e BRENDAN DE BEER This year’s Carnival might not have been as w Publicidade, Lda N festivities in the north and centre of the count Copyright ©2005 Anglo Press century Lda. The Portugal News is force to enjoy the celebrations. part of the Portugal News Group established 1977. The Portuguese economy in 2017 grew quicker than the Depósito Legal Nº 80258/94 european union average, and also recorded the fastest DIRECTORS growth since the beginning of the millennium. This growth Paul Allen-Luckman [email protected] comes only three years after Portugal emerged from a Madeline Luckman painful and austerity-laden bailout. [email protected] CONTACTS flash estimate by now grown for the past 15 for 2017 were for growth of Postal Address: Statistics Portugal consecutive quarters. 1.7 percent, making the Apt 13 • 8401-901 • Lagoa A(INE) said this João Borges de Assunção, final outturn a “good re- Courier Address: week that Portu- a professor at Lisbon’s sult”. Rua Município de S. gal’s gross domestic prod- Catholic University, in com- Ascensão Costa also high- Domingo Urb.Lagoa Sol • uct (GDP) had increased ments to Lusa News lighted faster growth in Lote 3 r/c from 1.5 percent in 2016 to Agency this week, said the private consumption, 8400-415 Lagoa 2.7 percent last year. latest numbers represent which is seen up 2.5 per- ClassifiedClassified: +351 282 380 315 The Portuguese statistical one of the “healthiest [rates cent, as well as in invest- agency attributed this ex- of growth] since Portugal ment, “which went from Sales: +351 282 380 310 ceptional growth to an entered the single cur- growth of one percent in Accounts: +351 282 343 653 increase in domestic de- rency” in 1999. 2016 to nine or ten percent mand, especially invest- António da Ascensão in 2017”. NewsdeskNewsdesk: +351 282 380 313 ment, while the contribu- Costa, a professor at Lis- The chief economist at General: +351 282 341 100 tion of net external demand bon’s Higher Institute of mutual Montepio Geral, Email: remained unchanged. Economy and Manage- Rui Serra, meanwhile told [email protected] The latest figures follow an ment (ISEG), meanwhile the news agency that growth had accelerated Web: extended period in which told Lusa that it was “prob- www.theportugalnews.com the economy failed to pro- able that with 2017 growth thanks above all to invest- duce any wealth, with the GDP in real terms [exclud- ment, “which grew at a PRINT & DISTRIBUTION Printers: country’s riches shrinking ing inflation effects] has good rate last year”, al- Unipress, Oporto in all years except one reached the levels of 2010, though this entailed more between 2008 and 2013. before the troika, that is imports of equipment, Print-run: 18,621 copies this edition The expansion of the before the budget crisis”, to resulting in a “slight nega- economy is also under- more than €179 billion. He tive contribution to net Distributors: VASP lined by the fact that it has noted that initial forecasts exports”. Member of apct audited circulation PRODUCTION € Publisher: Banks charge 5 million a day in commissions Paul Luckman [email protected] Portugal’s five main banks charged €100 million more last year in commissions than in 2016. Editor: Brendan de Beer The five in question, Caixa Geral de Two other large banks in Portugal Novo [email protected] Depósitos (CGD), BCP, Santander Totta, Banco and Crédito Agrícola, have not pre- It did rain on some pa- – went ahead as usual, to Photos: BPI and Montepio collected €1.88 billion sented their 2017 accounts yet. rades, such as in the delight of the throngs LUSA • Press Association in commissions, €102.8 million more than Bank commissions have been de- Mealhada, but that did little who pitched up in their the year before. bated widely in recent years as banks to dampen the spirits of thousands. SALES MANAGER Each of these banks charged an aver- have altered their prices and started carnival-goers. However, figures from Sónia Seixas age of €5 million a day in commissions charging for routine operations such as Towns and cities policing operations staged [email protected] last year. maintaining the account or money trans- throughout the country throughout the country over ACCOUNTS MANAGER BCP charged the most, collecting €666.7 fers) to compensate for a drop in other exploded with hot Latin the carnival long weekend Gaby Rodrigues million from its clients from commissions, sources of income. rhythms, colourful skimpy are less pleasing, with [email protected] €22.9 million more than in 2016. TPN/Lusa outfits and showers of more than 40 people hav- streamers and confetti to ing been detained by PSP mark the time-honoured police in the 24 hours lead- WEATHER event, which is often seized ing up to the big event in to satirize national and Lisbon alone. global current affairs. A statement from the A few showers and slightly warmer temperatures This year the country’s force said between 9am processions ranged from Monday morning and 9am Seas and Oceans to Tuesday morning, opera- on the cards WebSummit themes. tions in the capital saw 44 Even though parties and people arrested for crimes The weather looks as if it will remain consistent for the weekend and coming week, with some parades had been held including drug trafficking, cloud around, maybe a few light showers towards the end of next week, and maximum over the weekend, the drink-driving, entering non- cloud around, maybe a few light showers towards the end of next week, and maximum pinnacle of carnival was on public places, and carrying temperatures a shade higher than they have been of late. Tuesday, which for many weapons. was an unofficial holiday. The GNR’s figures from Lisbon: The capital will be blan- South: The Algarve will also be North: After some heavier rain at Two of the country’s most its annual Carnival road keted by high cloud over the weekend, cloudy over the weekend and will also the end of this last week, even the famous parade’s – Torres safety operation are which will push maximum tempera- see temperatures rise slightly, to north is looking brighter and warmer Vedras, known as the ‘most equally as grim, with six tures up by a couple of degrees to highs highs of around 20 degrees Celsius for the foreseeable future. High cloud Portuguese carnival in deaths, 13 serious inju- of 18. The coming week will be bright for the foreseeable future. Showers on Sunday and Monday will clear up Portugal’ and which wel- ries and 292 walking- with some scattered cloud around, and are forecast for Tuesday, along with for a bright and sunny Tuesday, be- comed some 400,000 wounded during an op- possible light showers towards Thurs- lighter, scattered showers towards fore more cloud and light showers spectators, and Loulé, the eration that spanned from day and Friday. the end of the coming week. move back in from Thursday. ‘oldest carnival in Portugal’ last Saturday until mid- News The Portugal News 17 Feb 2018 3 rave cold to being cheer to Portugal N News in Brief wet as forecast last week, when predictions were that rainfall could spoil Algarve ‘will have water for rest of year’ try, but it was cold, although that did little to deter the masses from turning out in Portugal is still crippled by drought but Algarve water com- pany Águas do Algarve has said the region will not suffer a shortage during the coming year. Multi-municipal company Águas do Algarve has said it will make sure the region is well supplied during the coming year both in terms of quantity and quality. The company said while there in enough water in the region’s dams to supply it in 2018, levels have been gradually decreasing, and it is necessary for the population to do what it can to save water. Fuel prices drop to 2018 low Fuel prices dropped to their lowest figure since the beginning of the year. International markets have seen petrol and diesel record substantial drops, with price reductions here slightly below those figures due to the dollar strengthening against the euro. Overall, unleaded fuel dropped by around 1.5 cents a litre whereas diesel saw its price come down by two cents a litre at pumps across the country. Portugal win Futsal European Championships Portugal are UEFA Futsal Euro winners for the first time after beating favourites Spain in last Saturday’s final in Slovenia. Portugal captain Ricardinho dominated the individual honours in a record-breaking personal tournament, and was elected player of the Euro. The European champions were welcomed by thousands of fans upon their arrival at Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport. It was also announced that the squad will also be decorated at Belém Palace by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa at a ceremony planned for next month. More than 1.3 million calls made to emergency medical number More than 1.3 million calls were taken by the Centre for Urgent Patients last year.