Dear friends and supporters Its three weeks since I wrote a letter to you when I was really feeling down in the dumps. Much has happened since then. Some good, some not so good, and some news that I really wished we had not received. Let’s start with the good news. In our fund raising efforts we received 2945.00 €, although short of our 3,500€ that is needed, on a monthly basis to just cover our standard running costs. We are truly grateful for all the support shown. So, a HUGE thank you to all of you that donated. It not only shut my hubby nicely. (And for that alone I am grateful), but he also threw in his help when asked in past three weeks (without moaning about it - double grateful). The not so good news has been that our car really has a serious mechanical problem and we not quite sure how to fix it yet. In the interim we got ourselves a vintage car so that we can at least do what needs to be done. Its wheels and it runs – although it is a bit temperamental. But it gets us from point A to point B. The BAD, BAD news is that it seems its all systems go for drilling not ONLY in the Algarve basin by Galp/ENI around May, but also in the north by Australis in the first quarter of 2018, so we talking around April/May for both. Talk about a double whammy. :-( WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? Well, since the news broke on 20 January that the Secretary of State for Energy had authorised the requested extension to Galp/ENI, our legal team and ourselves have been engaged 7 days a week (yes, including Sundays), on a full time basis, going right into the early hours of the day into finalising our first submission to court, which we expect to be able to do within the next couple of weeks. At the same time we are preparing ourselves to lodge all the supporting cases as and when the time is appropriate. But such a complex case as the one that we will be embarking on, costs loads of money, and although we were offered pledges totalling 15,000€, we are now waiting to see if they materialise. In the interim we need to continue to raise funds to support this legal battle. You can donate directly to us for this legal fight, but if your donation is 500€ or more, you may pay your donated amount directly to our legal team if you so wish. In this case just send me an email, and I will send you the relevant banking and reference details. Here’s how easy it to donate to ASMAA. Via PayPal (includes credit card payment facility): info@asmaa-algarve.org or via the link on this page: http://asmaa-algarve.org/en/donate REF: Say NO To Oil (for legal case) REF: ASMAA (for support to our monthly running costs) VIA BANK TRANSFER SANTANDER TOTTA (LAGOS ALGARVE) ASMAA Algarve Surf and Marine Activities Association IBAN: PT50 0018 0008 02686698020 51 REF: Say NO to Oil (for legal case) REF: ASMAA (for support to our monthly running costs) Thank you. I’m counting on you. We all are! Laurinda Seabra ASMAA CEO 969 320 231 Here’s some information links in English and in Portuguese Government again extends Galp-ENI's exploration and drilling licence https://algarvedailynews.com/news/13453-government-extends-galp-eni-s-exploration-and-drilling-licence GALP/ENI: Bloco de Esquerda Requere Documentação do Ministério da Economia e da DGRM http://asmaa-algarve.org/en/news/noticias/galp-eni-bloco-de-esquerda-requere-documentacao-do-ministerio-da-economia-e-da-dgrm Petróleo e energia: Governo de joelhos? http://asmaa-algarve.org/en/news/noticias/petroleo-e-energia-governo-de-joelhos ENI/GALP ganha mais um ano para procurar petróleo http://asmaa-algarve.org/en/news/noticias/eni-galp-ganha-mais-um-ano-para-procurar-petroleo Cerca de 50 pessoas manifestam-se frente à AR contra pesquisa de hidrocarbonetos http://asmaa-algarve.org/en/news/noticias/cerca-de-50-pessoas-manifestam-se-frente-a-ar-contra-pesquisa-de-hidrocarbonetos Government ministries reported to be “at odds over Algarve/ Alentejo oil exploration” http://portugalresident.com/government-ministries-reported-to-be-%E2%80%9Cat-odds-over-algarve-alentejo-oil-exploration%E2%80%9D GALP/ENI: Bloco de Esquerda (BE) Requests Documentation from Ministry of Economy and the DGRM http://asmaa-algarve.org/en/news/what-s-new/galp-eni-bloco-de-esquerda-be-requests-documentation-from-ministry-of-economy-and-the-dgrm Extension of ENI/Galp creates conflict between Economy and Environment ministries. Really? http://asmaa-algarve.org/en/news/what-s-new/extension-of-eni-galp-creates-conflict-between-economy-and-environment-ministries-really ENI/GALP "EXEMPTED" from paying TUPEM licence fees? http://asmaa-algarve.org/en/news/what-s-new/eni-galp-exempted-from-paying-tupem-licence-fees Legal Actions that ENI was involved in during 2016 http://asmaa-algarve.org/en/news/what-s-new/legal-actions-that-eni-was-involved-in-during-2016