Immigration was one of the topics discussed in the biweekly debate with the Prime Minister in Parliament this Wednesday . Luís Montenegro once again stressed that he does not want a model of "wide open doors", under criticism from the opposition leader.
The PS secretary-general, Pedro Nuno Santos, attacked the Government for ending the “expression of interest” regime , which allowed immigrants to enter Portugal without an employment contract .
The socialist leader stated that this figure “was not replaced by any alternative”, which created “a problem”: several sectors of the Portuguese economy “complaining about the lack of workers” .
Luís Montenegro maintains that the decision to end the expression of interest corresponds to the principle of “not having the door wide open” .
Enough is a ping pong ball between PS and Government
Pedro Nuno Santos recalled that, under the previous regime, immigrants paid into Social Security “for 12 months” and accused the head of government of giving in to the “electoral dispute with Chega” .
Faced with the accusation from the opposition leader, the Prime Minister stated that, in terms of “convergence with Chega”, it is Pedro Nuno Santos and the PS who give “lessons to any other bench, including the Government”.
Pedro Nuno Santos also asked Luís Montenegro about the fate of immigrants who have already been denied entry into the country - 118,000 of the 400,000 regularization processes that are reportedly pending .
Luís Montenegro responded that “many are no longer in Portugal” . “And many others who are, and who are not available to comply with the rules, will have to leave . That is the consequence”, he concluded.