Sebastian Bugallo wants “legal immigration to be taken seriously” and housing included in the Charter of Fundamental Rights

The head of the AD list for Europeans this Thursday defended the strengthening of legal immigration mechanisms and promised to fight for the universalization of housing in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

The presentation of the electoral program of the Democratic Alliance, entitled “Voice in Europe,” was attended by the leaders of the three parties that make up the coalition: Luis Montenegro, president of the PSD, Nuno Melo, from the SDS-PP, and Gonçalo. da Camara Pereira, from the PPM, and the number one activist of the PSD, Francisco Pinto Balseman.

Sebastian Bugalho defended “common sense and realism” on European issues and cited the European Pact on Migration and Asylum as an example, saying PPE contributed to its success.

“But we want more. We want to strengthen the mechanisms for legal immigration in this pact, so we can make sure that illegal immigration is reduced and that it does not end up in human trafficking networks,” he said.

For the AD candidate in the European elections on June 9, “only by creating the right mechanisms for legal immigration, strengthening it and regulating it” can the fight against illegal immigration be guaranteed.

“The fight against illegal immigration is impossible without legal immigration, which is taken seriously, and we will take it seriously,” he promised.

During the speech, which lasted about 25 minutes, the most direct criticism of the head of the AD list against previous PS leaders concerned the housing sector.

“We know that housing is a national responsibility of the states, and we also know who failed to implement the PRR in time to respond to this housing crisis at the pace it should have been. And we haven’t forgotten,” he said.

Despite this, he argued that Europe could “make rules more flexible to respond in a timely manner to the housing crisis that the continent is experiencing”, including launching pilot projects and encouraging the creation of mechanisms to stimulate the market.

“Symbolically, but with a view to implementing solutions that will resolve this crisis, I want to announce here that we will defend an increase in the right to housing in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, we will even make it universal. right,” he said in one of the measures that appears in the program presented today.

Bugalho also highlighted another measure that is also part of the document: “The creation of a single European card, which we propose to call “plus65”, which will provide fast and privileged access to public services to all European citizens over 65 years of age.” at airports, transport infrastructure, museums, exhibitions or sporting events,” he said.

The AD program for older people also envisages the creation of a “European Network of Financial Support for Homes and Communities for the Elderly”.

“Never again in the 21st century will a European citizen be embarrassed to see their homes on television, we will work on this over the next five years,” he said.

Sebastian Bugallo thanked for the presence of Pinto Balseman, whom he praised for his fight for freedom and democracy, and his national representative Carlos Moedas, stressing that in 2021 he “set an example” by not running away from risks by standing for candidacy in Lisbon. City Council .

As for the current Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Paulo Rangel, who led the PSD list in the last three European elections, Bugalho said he has been the “voice” of Portugal in Europe for the past 15 years.

“In 2009, against the government, which did not lead Portugal to implement the project. In 2014, as the first sign of hope after a very harsh financial bailout. And it was your voice in 2019, against a prime minister who threatened to resign within two weeks of the European elections, as if they did not exist, as if they were useless,” he stressed.

Throughout the speech, the AD candidate defended the need for “common sense and realism” in several areas, such as the energy transition.

“Without balance, without moderation, without taking into account people and inequalities between member states, it will be impossible to achieve a green transition without two things that are of no interest to a country like Portugal: or the loss of investment in other richer EU member states. or lose investments outside European borders,” he warned.