As increasingly staunch upholders of the parking a
nd overnight stopping laws, GNR officers so far this year have issued tickets to 179 motorcaravan owners for improper parking or camping where they should not.
With fines ranging from €200 to a potential €22,500 the painful reminder that the law must be obeyed has become all too clear to many caravan and motorcaravan owners who continue to camp ‘wild.’
The main places this year where people have parked up wherever they chose, and have paid the price, were the Ria Formosa Natural Park, the Natural Park of the Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina, Vila Nova De Milfontes and Almograve in the Beja district, Aljezur, Bordeira, Carrapateira Faro, Arrifana, Monte Clérigo, Vila do Bispo, Budens, Sagres and Vila Real de Santo António.
In 2014, the GNR totted up 217 tickets for offense with 64 of them in August. It is too early to predict whether the 2015 list of offenders will be higher than in 2014.
The tourists involved have mostly been foreign, "Since 2009 to date we have issued 659 notices of administrative offense, only 120 of which were for Portuguese citizens," according to the GNR whose spokesman never reveals the total amount of money raised in fines.
According to the Nature Conservation and Forestry organisation, which also can act in the event of improper parking by campers, the areas in which the most problems are found are in the Ria Formosa Natural Park and the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina.
"The situation is year-round and of course is far greater during the summer tourist season when the number of motorcaravanners reaches its peak," explained the ICNF, agreeing that the culprits mostly are foreign.
The Maritime Police also acts if there is illegal parking on or near the beaches for which it is responsible.
"The largest number of offences are from drivers of motor vehicles parked on beaches, sand dunes and cliff-tops outside designated areas."
Comments
I think that it is just unfair by John Harris to reflect to the years before 1974. I am sure he doesn´t know anything about it. Hear say perhaps from people that weren´t even born then.
It is too close to the decades under Salazar and before that the rule of Kings. No democracy then and even today no serious application of the rule of law. Of equality before the law.
And only discussed abroad, if at all, amongst nearest and dearest and us foreigners. Where 'snouts cannot hear you'.
So the security and justice apparatus forms a ring around this inner State. Shielding it from prying eyes. And only applying the 'norms' of justice and policing to those in the outer State.
The soft, easy targets that do not require sophisticated training. Here motor caravaners. Most foreign so fined on the spot. So no risk of a tribunal as no foreigner will nowadays waste years seeking justice in a Portuguese court. And the road stops are for ordinary road users.
But the endemic corruption, trafficking of favours and influence that so distorts the inner State ? To continue without interference relies on the forces of law and order !
On so few of them being re-oriented and re-trained, if at all, towards the interests of Portugal as a whole. And if a Portuguese copper sees himself as a crusader of righteousness ? Up to a third are 'off-sick' at any one time or retire early.
How many of them fell sick through trying to do the right thing?