Portugal has opened a new wing at the Porto Temporary Accommodation Centre (CIT), bringing total capacity for irregular migrants to 171—exceeding the European benchmark of 102.
Minister for Interior Administration Luís Neves inaugurated the new modular wing at the Santo António Temporary Accommodation Centre, following an investment of approximately one million euros.
As of today, Portugal has therefore surpassed the European benchmark for places to put foreign nationals in an irregular situation, he said.
The wing brings 80 new beds into the system, which has offshoots at the airports of Lisbon, Faro and Beja.
“We are marking the completion of an important project to strengthen our national capacity for the temporary accommodation of foreign citizens who are here in a state of clear illegality,” Neves told his audience.
“The opening of these new facilities allows us to better address the challenges Portugal faces regarding the management of migration, asylum, and returns.”
Neves was accompanied by Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, who spoke only during scheduled remarks and did not answer questions on the sidelines about the weekend’s protests, despite persistent requests from journalists.
Neves meantime stressed that the increase in places are “significant in light of the shift in European migration policy, to which we have committed. The new European Pact on Migration and Asylum, which began implementation in June of this year, will establish new requirements for member states,” he added.
In a statement sent to newsrooms, the National Directorate of the Public Security Police (PSP) said that the new wing represents “a significant boost to the capacity for the temporary accommodation of foreign nationals (…) This expansion aims to ensure better conditions for reception, hygiene, clinical assessment, security, and support for individuals throughout legally mandated procedures, guided by the principle of respect for human dignity. The initiative also helps strengthen the State’s response capacity regarding foreign nationals and border matters, in line with current national and European requirements.”
Source: LUSA
Natasha Donn
Journalist for the Portugal Resident.