Taxi protests planned over Uber's 'illegal operation'

taxifaroPortugal’s taxi drivers union ANTRAL is threatening to hold demonstrations in September to highlight the encroachment of the web-based Uber car hire service into its members territory.

The second complaint from the union is that the government simply is not doing anything to uphold the court injunction that ANTRAL claims ordered a ban on Uber’s operation in Portugal.

Illegally operating Gold shops 'costing the taxman millions'

goldThere are hundreds of Gold shop operators who continue to operate without licenses.

This has cost the taxman a conservatively estimated €4.5 million so far, a figure based on an audit by the Finance Inspectorate which reports there are gold trading operators who have closed down their registered fiscal activity but continue to operate, paying no income tax, company tax and VAT.

Germans likely to run Greek airports

ryanairA German company is to take over the running of 14 regional airports in Greece.

The sale of the rights to operate the airports for 40 years, worth some €1.2 billion, is the first privatisation Greece has been forced to make in order to meet the conditions of its third bailout loan worth €86 billion. The deal will also bring in €23 million every year in rent.

Asda’s fortunes slip further

shoppingbasketStruggling retail giant Asda has recorded its worst sales in its 50 years of operation.

It was the worst performance of the UK’s ‘big four’ who have all taken a hit from changing consumer preferences and the fierce price wars initiated to grab customers back from Aldi and Lidl which are said to offer goods at considerably less than Asda.

Novo Banco sale - €1.4 billion loss looks likely

bankofportugal2The well endowed Chinese insurer Anbang has slapped a €3.5 billion offer on the table to buy Novo Banco.

However there are conditions. The company is insisting on a discount if Novo Banco needs a capital increase greater than has been suggested by the Bank of Portugal.

Underwater site off the Algarve coast receives government protection

oceanThe Gorringe bank, located 210 kilometres west of Portugal, between the Azores and the Strait of Gibraltar along the Azores–Gibraltar fault zone and is considered one of the most important underwater areas of environmental diversity of Europe.

One of the mountainous peaks, the Gettysburg Seamount, is just 25 metres below the ocean surface with a base 5,000 metres below sea level.

Portugal's finest export - its people

canadaIn excess of 4 million Portuguese now live outside of Portugal, according to the records held by consulates across the world.

The Emigration Observatory data released today show that the 27 major communities around the world there are 4.022 million citizens that hold, or are entitled to, a Portuguese passport.

Cancelled TGV project - state to pay just 20% of huge compensation claim

tgvPortugal’s General Inspectorate of Finances has looked at the €187 million claim for compensation for the cancellation of the €11.6 billion high speed rail network and decided just 20% of the total applied for is justifiable.

The TGV pipe dream had been drifting around since 1988, finally was authorised by the José Sócrates  government and promptly was cancelled by Passos Coelho in 2012 on cost/benefit grounds i.e. there was plenty of cost and no discernible benfit.