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Dili, August 10th, 2016
Press Release
Council of Ministers meeting of August 10th, 2016
The Council of Ministers met on Wednesday at the Government Palace in Dili to assess the support of Timor-Leste to the Portuguese Republic in fighting fires that ravage the country and which have resulted in a fatality. A donation of 2 million euros, to strengthen the capacity to respond on the ground to this emergency, was approved. From this amount, 1.25 million euros are intended to support the Portuguese authorities in fighting fires and 750,000 euros are for direct assistance to the affected populations.
The Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, in a press conference, warned of the difficulty that the country will go through in the next few days, due to the weather forecasts indicating strong winds and high temperatures. He also announced that the pre-warning of the European mechanism for civil protection will be triggered, as well as the support aid agreement signed with Russia in cases of difficulty.
According to the Civil Protection of Portugal, more than 100 fires are active in the continental territory and the island of Madeira, which are being fought by approximately 3,000 firefighters, more than 900 vehicles and 22 aircraft.
In the Alto Minho region, in the north of the country, the emergency district plan was engaged, which enables local authorities to request special assistance from the Government. This plan was previously engaged in 2005.
The Prime Minister, Rui Maria de Araújo, in response to this alarming situation, called a special meeting of the Council of Ministers to discuss and announce the urgent transfer of financial support to the authorities and the population of Portugal. ENDS