“Last Friday, 7 February, the Ministry of Internal Affairs approved the expansion of Coimbra's video surveillance system to a total of 49 cameras, allowing 32 more cameras to be added to the 17 that currently make up the city's video surveillance system,” said Margarida Blasco in the parliamentary committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees.

According to the minister, around 1,300 pieces of equipment are currently authorized throughout the country, and almost 800 video surveillance cameras are already in operation in several Portuguese municipalities.

The governor also said that the ministry has received “many requests from city halls” to install video surveillance cameras.

The minister added that requests have been accepted, but “it is a long process”, which requires an opinion from the PSP and a consultation with the National Data Protection Commission (CNPD), in addition to the entire acquisition and installation process.