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FRONT PAGE STORY - 23/11/2002: Portugal's Weekend Newspaper in English Portugal Pays for Others’ Mistakes 'If Spain had their way,most of Portugal’s northern beaches would have been polluted by now. Portugal’s sole neighbour’s questionable attitude in dealing with the sunken Prestige fuel tanker was highlighted by Barcelona newspaper El Periodico on Wednesday, when it stated: "The decision was taken to tow the boat out to the deep blue yonder, following the well-known practice of cleaners who brush dirt under the carpet. Was the aim to share the risk with Portugal, as if the environment were a national and not a planetary asset?". Spanish port authorities all refused the ship entry to its ports so that it could empty its load prior to it causing damage. Instead, it was urged southwards to Portuguese shores. But the captain, aiming to save the lives of his crew, turned off the ship’s motors as it stopped dangerously close to Portugal’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Still the Spanish attempted to con(vince) Portugal that the boat was in its waters. In the meantime, and as the boat was dragged out to sea, came the undeniable and now certain risk of contamination to what could become more than a fifth of Portugal’s entire coastline. While Spain alternates in blaming whomever they deem responsible for the environmental disaster the sinking of the Prestige has caused, Portugal is bracing itself for an unprecedented economic and ecological disaster. Hundreds of fishermen have already been rendered unemployed by the tanker’s sinking, while teams are prepared as far south as Aveiro to prevent the widespread damage the 77,000 metric tonnes of fuel oil can cause to a country’s coastline. An extraordinary parliamentary debate, called by the opposition and held on Thursday, was intended to force the Portuguese government to officially lay the blame for the disaster squarely on Spain. Franisco Louçã (Left Bloc) called on Portugal to demand compensation from Spain, with other opposition parties sharing a similar stance. But Minister of Defense, Paulo Portas, limited his response to explain that Portugal had no responsibility in the disaster, confirming only that the country had refused the Prestige entry into its waters. Portuguese oil company Galp, on Thursday confirmed it had refused an offer from the Prestige to purchase its fuel oil in October. In an official statement, the company explained it had refused the cargo, not due to its quality, but rather due to the potential and imminent risks this outdated ship, built in 1976, would pose to Portugal and to all the countries’ coastlines it would pass prior to reaching its destination. Unconfirmed reports on both Spanish and Portuguese television claimed the Prestige was en route to Gibraltar. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Durão Barroso said Portugal is taking "all measures" possible to minimise the risk of oil slicks reaching its coast. He said the environmental catastrophe, already affecting much of Spain's Galician coast, was being carefully monitored by Lisbon's Environment, Defense and Foreign Ministries. Environmental group Greenpeace said the sinking of the stricken tanker would affect the environment "for years". This sentiment was echoed by Greenpeace’s Portuguese counterparts, Quercus, who said the effects of the Prestige’s sinking will be felt "for decades", if not "permanently". In addition, these groups alerted that if the entire cargo of the Prestige should spill, the resulting damage would be double that caused by one of the worst ever accident - the Exxon Valdez disaster off Alaska in 1989. At the time of going the press, officials said there had been no new leakage since the crippled, Greek-owned "Prestige" broke apart and sank Tuesday morning 80 kilometres north of Portuguese waters and 200 kilometres off the Galician coast. Portugal's Hydrographic Institute said the vessel was located about 25 nautical miles north of Portugal's Exclusive Economic Zone. Portuguese maritime authorities expressed hope the fuel oil spilled after the "Prestige" suffered a ruptured hull in stormy weather one week ago would not reach the Portuguese coast. Prevailing winds, they said, appeared likely to blow the slick northwards, away from Portugal. But latest weather reports, suggested stormy conditions, with winds blowing from a northwesterly direction, which would force the slick onto Portuguese shores. The UK Met Office, which has been issuing bulletins to ships in the area, said Portugal was likely to take the brunt of the pollution. The Bahamian registered "Prestige" was damaged last Wednesday and spilled about 10 percent of its 77,000 metric tonnes of fuel oil before breaking apart and sinking. Lisbon sent a navy frigate to the area - which lies within Portugal's zone of search and rescue - to monitor the situation and air force reconnaissance aircraft are constantly flying over the zone. The Defence Ministry also announced it had sent anti-pollution equipment to northern Portugal in the event of the country’s beaches being affected. Lisbon’s Defence Minister, Paulo Portas, misquoted and given the wrong name by two of Europe’s most respected news agencies, said that both Portugal and Spain were "interested in working in the European framework to find a solution to limit ecological damage". While Spain has promised to make whoever is responsible "pay", the Dutch company called in to save the ship, Smit Salvage, criticised Spain for moving the ship from its coast, saying, "the five days of towing into heavy seas definitely did not improve the structural damage that had already been caused to the Prestige".' * (Meanwhile, according to the Gibraltar newspaper "Panorama", the Gibraltar Government is taking legal advice to establish if the EU Commissioner Loyola de Palacio has abused her office in her accusations against Gibraltar regarding the "Prestige" oil spill. There is also speculation in the Portuguese media that Spain was "pressured" by France under an accord between the two countries to have the "Prestige" moved southwards into Portuguese waters.) - Rui da Silva