Carlos Moedas has addressed appeal to President Marcelo and PM Montenegro
Lisbon’s PSD mayor Carlos Moedas is calling for an urgent hearing with the Prime Minister and the President of the Republic to resolve the problem of homelessness in the capital – much of it involving vulnerable migrants.
According to SIC Notícias this morning, the mayor guarantees the problem is a national responsibility – not something the city council can resolve on its own.
He also seeks “urgent answers” from AIMA, the clearly-overwhelmed new agency for integration migration and asylum.
The issue with homelessness in Lisbon is that it is far greater, in terms of numbers, than anywhere else in the country – and largely due to the more recent years of migrations.
Carlos Moedas believes the problem requires better liaison between municipalities in the metropolitan area and Social Security, Santa Casa da Misericórdia, AIMA and the SNS (State health service).
The mayor also wants “more funding opportunities” for the creation of responses, namely through the Portugal 2030 programme; as well as “greater commitment from Social Security in accommodation solutions in shared flats and the Housing First model”.
SNS responses to people with mental health problems are another concern: Moedas wants “more agile and effective immigration policies, with temporary reception solutions for vulnerable migrants.
“Lisbon cannot be alone in its support for homeless people”, he told journalists, appealing once again “not only to the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister, but also to the entire government and all of Lisbon’s parish councillors”, writes Lusa.
Memories of what can happen when a mentally-disturbed individual desperate for answers does not get them may have dimmed, but the mayor of Lisbon is determined to shake people in positions of responsibility up, to ensure further tragedies can be avoided. ND
Source material: SIC Notícias
