Chaos is poised to descend on Portugal’s “Conservatórias” (registry offices which deal with births, deaths, marriages, sales of cars, document issuance, Wills etc.) following a surprise decision by the government to order a ‘return to spontaneous business’ from Monday (June 14).
Explains the service’s union, the decision came ‘completely out of the blue’. Conservatories have been running on an appointment basis since the State of Emergency, and are ‘completely full’ of pre-scheduled appointments until the end of September.
According to newspaper reports, “there is no possibility of hiring more people” to deal with an influx of new requests due to DGS health authority requirements for only one citizen for every 20 sq m.
