Another 340 PSP agents to beef airport border controls from July 4

Minister of internal administration, Luis Neves, has announced an increase of 340 PSP agents for airport border controls, starting from July 4.

The news follows the recent ‘boost’ given by Brussels to the new border control system which has caused horrendous bottlenecks, and even been credited with putting people off travelling to Portugal.

The new intake of agents comes as a result of a specific training scheme, still ongoing.

Said Neves yesterday: “On July 4, we will deploy a further 340 officers from the Public Security Police (PSP) who are currently undergoing specific training, at our borders.

“One hundred and forty will be sent to Lisbon, 100 to Porto, and then to Faro, Funchal and Ponta Delgada.”

Speaking on the sidelines of the inauguration of refurbishment works at the GNR (National Republican Guard) barracks in Vila Nova de Paiva, Viseu region, Neves said: “the whole process is being carried out with great effort and, naturally, with much hardship, but the day will come when it yields results”, noting that “already this week” the PSP “has deployed additional personnel who are already making a difference”, with around 50 extra officers at Lisbon airport.

“We have new spaces to accommodate people, we are acquiring technological equipment that has already been allocated, we have more booths where more PSP officers will be stationed, and so we are seeking to create conditions for the operation during the summer, and for the long term, to be different – for the better,” he said.

Neves added that “until we reach the optimal point” – which he hopes “will be in the shortest” possible time – “there are digital issues that need to be resolved”, not least because “they jeopardise the speed” of operations.

“But this is not Portugal’s fault; therefore, this is a joint effort to balance two priorities: firstly, security – knowing who enters and who leaves – and, on the other hand, efficiency, because the impact of those coming to us, of those leaving, particularly in terms of tourism, is very significant, and the government is fully committed,” he said.

Neves pointed out that it is “important to look at operations over the last few days” at the country’s airports, where, last Saturday, for example “may have been the day of the year when the most passengers used Portuguese airports”, yet everything “went very well”.

In other words, slowly, slowly, authorities are getting a lid on this ‘beast’ that has been the subject of endless media horror stories.

As for the media, Neves stressed that he has “great respect for that which is free and reports accurately” – but the media should report the news and not distort reality “in some cases, maliciously, in a distorted manner and with lies and untruths – the time will come when we must address these (articles) – denigrating the work of those at the airports, tarnishing the country’s image, with images from the past, some fabricated, and others with messages that do not correspond to the truth”.

Tackled over the cases he might be referring to, the minister said he would speak “in due course”, not least because he “does not mince his words” nor is he “afraid to speak his mind”.

Source: LUSA