Rangel paints ‘bigger picture’ behind government’s immigration strategy
Portugal’s foreign minister Paulo Rangel has called for the reinforcement of the EU’s external borders, painting the ‘bigger picture’ behind the government’s immigration strategy.
The entire Schengen area is “in crisis and under threat”, he warned.
“It is very important to think about Schengen” he said in a speech at the conference “Protecting Europe: facing today’s and tomorrow’s challenges” – an initiative of the European People’s Party (EPP) group within the European Parliament, taking place in Lisbon.
“The European Union has a responsibility to ensure that the external borders are secure” because, when this is not guaranteed, “states tend to create internal barriers that restrict freedom of movement,” he explained, adding that he believes (as does the government) that states should remain within their capacity to receive people and keep them in decent living conditions.
“We must honour capacity limits and welcome migrants only when we can ensure adequate resources,” he said.
In short, “for people to live a dignified and respectful life, we must maintain border controls (…) if they enter without criteria and regulation, many will face exploitation and undignified conditions, and this will create tension in communities.”
Paulo Rangel affirmed the importance of security and emphasised that highlighting its need, whether regarding cybercrime, critical infrastructure, or anything else actually strengthens freedom.
“In all Portuguese Constitutions, the right to freedom is called the right to freedom and security”, he pointed out. “Because it is to defend freedom that we prioritise security (…) We are a party and a group in favour of freedom and fundamental rights, and because we want them to be real and effective, we focus on security”.
Security and immigration have become the buzz words of the times as both have ‘changed radically’ almost simultaneously, and thus the efforts to try and keep everything under control.
source material: LUSA
