The Portuguese judiciary was declared to be in a state of emergency due to the large backlog and the inability on the part of prosecutors and judges to speed up trials before the procedural terms elapsed.
At the end of 1999 Portugal handed over its former colony, Macao, to Chinese control.
Despite the agreements between the two countries, which provide for a series of guarantees and rights for the Macao people, there is a well-grounded concern about the lack of sufficient guarantees for the independence of the judiciary in Macao.
Attacks on Justice 2000: Portugal [full text, PDF]