“If a missile is directed to the Assembly of the Republic we have no way to stop”: Portugal and the Portuguese are not prepared for a war

While several European countries mobilize citizens with survival manuals and reinforce the defense, experts warn of Portugal’s lack of planning and response to the threat of an unexpected crisis

What if, suddenly, life as we know it changed radically? What if an unexpected crisis – a natural disaster, an armed conflict or a nuclear threat – would for the forces to live without the amenities of everyday life we ​​take as guaranteed?

Several European countries have been preparing their citizens for these emergency scenarios, promoting action plans, survival guides and official recommendations. In Portugal, however, this mobilization seems nonexistent. Is the country being left behind in preparing for the unexpected? Are we ignoring a real risk?

At a time when the international geopolitical context rekindles the debate on the possibility of an armed conflict in Europe, Major General Isidro de Morais Pereira is clear: there is a threat and Portugal is underestimating the risks.

“It is a threat to our way of life, our freedom, our democracy and our tolerance. If we want to preserve our way of living we have to protect ourselves. Portugal should follow the good example of many other European countries that are already taking action and guiding populations,” he says to CNN Portugal.

The French government is the creation of a survival manual to prepare the population for “imminent threats.” The 20 -page document will be delivered to each family and contains instructions on how to protect and help others in case of threat.

Duarte Caldeira, president of the Center for Studies and Intervention in Civil Protection, also has no doubt: in Portugal there is a “total imprisonment” for these scenarios, the result of a “tremendous deficit of information”.

“The generality of Portuguese citizens has never undergone a war conflict or received any formation in this regard. People do not know that self -protection measures should adopt in such a situation,” he says.

In addition to France, also AEA Finland – two NATO countries bordering Russia – join and Norway on the list of countries that have already distributed similar leaflets. The content of the documents does not differ much: they seek to prepare the population for a war scenario.

“In Portugal, there is no purpose on the part of the authorities and the state for the Portuguese to adapt their behaviors to risk. In 2020 and 2021 we were victims of a very grave devastating pandemic in relation to human life and we realize that society was not prepared to deal with this risk. The state has to streamline information mechanisms so that the citizen is properly informed of all the risk,” he says. Duarte Caldeira.

Swedes, for example, have long been familiar with these public information leaflets: the first was issued in World War II. On the other hand, consulting the Portuguese website of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority there is only one available sensitization – and is relative to seismic risk.

In a situation of armed conflict, military capacity alone is not sufficient: it is essential that citizens are also prepared. For Major -General Isidro de Morais Pereira, in Portugal there is a devaluation of the civil component in favor of the military – “it is not enough to have very capable armed forces if it is not thought how to protect the population,” he says – which, in his view, evidences failures in response to challenges of this genre.

“The dissemination of survival manuals like these are part of the Civil Defense of the territory, the defense of the populations, are measures that can contribute greatly to protect people. This has to be done in Portugal. The National Emergency Planning System has as its fundamental task to plan, look at the future, trace scenarios, realizing how society as a whole should be ready to react, not only the military. Distributed by all citizens, ”he says.

The European Union itself is launching a strategy of preparation for times of crisis. The initiative includes a set of guidelines for the Member States to ensure that both the civilian and the authorities are ready for large-scale crises, including scenarios where the Armed Forces need civil support.

The last section of the Norwegian manual guides citizens on how to register for reserve forces, whether military or community, allowing them to play an active role in defense and support for the community.

Creation of a Defense Fund: something to invest?

In addition to betting on the preparation of the population, several European countries are reinforcing their budgets for the defense. France the creation of an exclusive 450 million euros fund for the defense, following the.

Poland, Estonia, Latvia – three of the four native countries that invest the most in defense – Finland and Sweden have also announced that they are considering increasing military expense, benefiting from the flexibility of the European Union’s tax rules for this sector, at a time when Brussels expected that money spent in defense does not enter deficit accounts. In the Major General’s opinion, Portugal should adopt a similar approach.

“It is essential to create a defense fund to cover the main gaps of the country and the priority should be the acquisition of anti -aircraft defense systems. We do not even have the ability to defend the sovereignty organs: if Portugal is attacked by an antibalistic missile directed at the Assembly of the Republic, we have no way to stop it because we have no anti -aircraft system capable of detecting it, we have no powerful radars or then mechanisms, then mechanisms, mechanisms Intercepting in the air and to destroy it, we do not have the end point, ”he notes.

Another measure announced by Germany is the development of an application to help citizens locate the nearest bunker in case of attack. Portugal has no organized structure for this purpose.

Also Poland, in its survival manual, leaves advice to the population about warning systems, anti -aircraft shelters and digital security.

“What do we have in Portugal? We have the metropolitan network, we have in Lisbon some military facilities that have this capacity, but not many, and we have some underground parking parks, but all this has to be adapted. Therefore, there are structures that exist, not for that reason, but that can be adapted if there is an attack, a bombing, but it takes a serious plan. Organized as in other countries, ”says Major General Isidro de Morais Pereira.

The Von Der Leyen Commission presented last week, under which we intend to invest up to 800 billion euros in weapons and other equipment over the next four years – with 650 billion to come from national budgets and 150 billion loans with common debt guaranteed by the community budget.

How can ordinary citizens prepare?

Given a crisis scenario, there may be lack of food, stop water in the taps, fail to supply fuel, there are various internet failures and mobile networks and even scarcity of medicines.

For the civil protection researcher, building our own “survival kit” is indispensable and a “responsibility” of each citizen.

Non-perishable groceries should not be shortered that provide “sufficient calories”, a vast water supply, canned, batteries, a radio to receive important information from the authorities, flashlights, and first aid sets, including non-prescription drugs, such as painkillers or anti-inflammatories on sale. Also having a duplication of home and car keys and photocopies of identification documents can also be important.

As the confinement scenario is a possibility, the French government also advises to have games nearby, like cards, to entertain the younger ones.

However, Duarte Caldeira warns that the kit does not guarantee autonomy for more than “half a dozen hours”. The answer has to be organized by the state.

“No family can be sustained alone for long periods of crisis. This is unfeasible, it is utopian, it does not exist. They have to be the properly organized authorities to guarantee this logistical support that goes beyond the attitude of each of the citizens in the face of such situations,” he concludes.