The President of the Republic states in his draft decree that extends the state of emergency that limitations on the right to travel should allow for the celebration of Labor Day, albeit with limits.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa refers specifically to the 1st of May commemorations in the explanatory statement of the diploma he sent today to the Assembly of the Republic, in which he proposes to extend the state of emergency for a new period of 15 days, until 2 May.
"Given that at the end of the new period, Labor Day is celebrated, the limitations on the right to travel should be applied in order to allow such celebration, albeit with the public health limits provided for in article 4, paragraph e) of the present decree”, the document reads.
Paragraph e) of this diploma, which is the same as that of the previous presidential decree of the state of emergency, establishes that the right to assemble and demonstrate may be partially suspended with "the necessary restrictions to reduce the risk of contagion and implement preventive measures and combating the epidemic" of covid-19, "including the limitation or prohibition of holding meetings or demonstrations that, due to the number of people involved, potentiate the transmission of the new coronavirus".
These restrictions “may be imposed by the competent public authorities, based on the position of the national health authority”.
With regard to workers' rights, the head of state introduces an amendment to this draft decree.
Instead of suspending "the right of workers' committees, union associations and employers' associations to participate in the drafting of labor legislation", it merely determines that this practice "may be limited in the terms and conditions of consultation", insofar as " may represent a delay in the entry into force of urgent legislative measures for the purposes foreseen in this decree”.
With regard to the right to strike, the terms of the previous state of emergency decree are maintained, which suspends its exercise "to the extent that it may compromise the operation of critical infrastructure, health care and service delivery units essential public sectors, as well as in economic sectors vital for the production, supply and provision of essential goods and services to the population”.
It will be up to the Government to regulate the application of the state of emergency, if its extension is approved today by the Assembly of the Republic.
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