Chega is organising a demonstration “against uncontrolled immigration and lack of safety on the streets” on September 21 in Lisbon, the party announced on Wednesday.
“With more than a million immigrants, uncontrolled immigration remains a serious problem in Portugal. Mainly because we have no information about many of those who arrive here,” the party says.
In a statement, Chega claims that this alleged lack of control, “together with the rise in crime confirmed by the mayors of Lisbon and Porto, has worried the Portuguese,” and says it is “the only party that has consistently warned about this.”
The party says it has decided to “organise a major demonstration against ‘uncontrolled immigration and lack of safety on the streets'” on the afternoon of September 21 in Lisbon.
It is also mentioned that the route will be determined later, “but it should include Almirante Reis, the center of Lisbon and the Municipality Square.”
Portugal’s foreign population increased by about 33% last year, to more than one million immigrants legally residing in the country, according to a document presented by the government in June.
According to the executive, most residence permits issued in Portugal are issued for the purpose of carrying out professional activities.
The document also states that migration contributes to “demographic revitalization and an increase in the active population,” with the majority of foreigners living in Portugal aged between 25 and 44.
These data were presented after the Council of Ministers, in which the Executive Director of PSD/CDS-PP, led by Luis Montenegro, approved the Action Plan on Migration, which put an end to the exceptional regime that allowed foreigners to enter Portugal and only then request a residence permit and announced the creation of a mission structure to resolve the outstanding cases, estimated at 400 thousand people.
Among the 41 measures included in the plan is the transformation of the current mobile visa for immigrants from the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) into a community visa (Schengen) allowing movement within the European Union, as well as the creation of a Foreigners and Borders (UEF) office in the PSP to monitor the presence of immigrants and set up emergency assistance centres.
The prime minister then rejected the idea that there was “any direct link” between “the ability to absorb immigrants and rising crime rates.”
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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