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Dozens protest outside Portuguese parliament over Aljezur gas exploration

Xinhua, February 24, 2017 Adjust font size:

Dozens of people protested outside the Portuguese parliament on Thursday over plans for oil and gas prospecting in Aljezur, around 250 km south of the capital Lisbon.

The protest was organised by Algarve Surf and Marine Activities (ASMAA), which has presented legal action against GALP/ENI and is concerned with the environmental impact of the drilling as well as effects on tourism in the region.

Protesters held banners reading "Portugal against petrol prospection" and "No more fracking" and shouted "Yes to the future, no to the hole."

"This is absurd for the 21st century. They are investing in things that will damage the environment and ruin marine fauna," one of the protestors told Xinhua.

The consortium Galp/ENI announced its intention to drill in the Aljezur offshore in March 2016, and was planning to drill the hole last year but ended up postponing the drilling date until 2017.

The protest took place on the same day a petition on the issue, signed by around 42,000 people, was being debated in the parliament. Endit