Speaking to the Lusa agency, the president, Jorge Batista da Silva, guaranteed that the network of 500 branches is capable of providing other services, dependent on State bodies where there are constraints.

Marriages and divorces are some of the responsibilities that notaries can assume, according to the president, who also wants access to databases for deeds whose documents can only be obtained from a registry office. Notaries, at this time, cannot carry out all types of deeds.

"There are services that cannot be closed, this has a huge impact on the lives of citizens", argued the same person in charge, adding that the summer period is highly sought after by emigrants to carry out deeds and shares: "In August is when more deeds are made ".

"Many cannot do the deed at another time. This is a problem that has been getting worse from year to year and tends to get worse, even due to the average age in the Public Service. We cannot go into rupture", lamented Jorge Batista da Silva.

Notaries also say they are willing to "help resolve pending issues regarding immigrants".

"The lack of staff normally worsens in the summer, with the holidays. We want services to be ensured throughout the year throughout the territory", he specified.

"In the last five years, we have invested in opening more than a hundred branches in the interior and islands, with the aim of ending the lack of services," he said.

It is a public network, privately managed, with 500 branches, which, in the president's opinion, could provide more services.

"We are, in a certain way, limited by the State in the powers assigned to us and in access to databases", he said.

"We want cooperation that does not lead to service closures", he stressed.

The Order's position was transmitted to the Minister of Justice, Rita Alarcão Júdice, in a meeting held last week.