"I answer for all the responsibilities I have as minister of the Portuguese government" and "I guarantee that Portugal and Spain are a European example in coordination, in the opening and reopening of borders," said Eduardo Cabrita, in Odemira, in the district of Beja.

After a coordination meeting on the implementation of measures related to the fight against Covid-19 in this municipality of Alentejo, the minister was questioned by Lusa news agency about the fact that Portugal has reopened the land borders with Spain, but, in Spain the neighbouring area of Galicia remains confined.

"Galicia is confined" and "anyone who leaves or enters without justification is subject to an administrative offence", said Fernando Nogueira.

After the meeting in Odemira, where a sanitary fence has been in force in two parishes decreed by the government due to the high incidence of Covid-19, the Minister of Internal Administration said he does not have to comment on measures in force in Spain.

"Just as nobody will ask the Spanish government why these measures were decided for Odemira, these and not others, I will also not comment on what measures the national government or the governments of the autonomies" in Spain "decide for some regions" of that country, he argued.

On the subject of travel to Galicia being subject to fines, Eduardo Cabrita insisted: These are "Spanish measures".

Based in Valença, the Rio Minho EGTC covers 26 municipalities: the 10 municipalities of the district of Viana do Castelo which make up the Intermunicipal Community (CIM) of Alto Minho and the 16 Galician municipalities of the province of Pontevedra (Spain).

Fernando Nogueira, who is also mayor of Vila Nova de Cerveira, in the district of Viana do Castelo, said he "has no knowledge of any case of the application of an administrative offence", but warned that it is "necessary to wait until the 9th", the day on which Spain will decide on a possible easing of lockdown.

"The reopening of land borders announced last week by the Prime Minister is already a very interesting advance, which should not be underestimated, especially for cross-border workers and businesses. This has always been our major struggle. As for the remaining movements, we have to wait until Sunday, the date set by Spain to announce the reopening of the borders with Portugal and France", said the independent mayor.

The director of the Rio Minho EGTC also highlighted the "vagueness" that the measure has in Spain, explaining that "there are autonomous regions that say that with the internal confinement one cannot cross the border and there are others that say yes".