Government, CHEGA want to push through votes before summer recess
Bloco de Esquerda has forced the postponement of votes on the specifics of the Government’s proposal that changes the legal regime for the entry, stay, exit and removal of foreigners from the national territory.
Using a potestative request (a form of protest that can only be used once), the party that only has one MP in parliament (Mariana Mortágua, its coordinator) managed to thwart the ambition of the government – this time backed by CHEGA – to approve amendments to the so-called foreigners’ law before any further opportunity by foreigners to take advantage to certain parts of it.
As both parties have said, this is a matter requiring “urgent resolution”, which they hope to get over the wire before the summer recess.
Among a number of points, the government is seeking to restrict work visas to “highly qualified activities”, limit access to family reunification, change conditions for the granting of residency permits to citizens of the CPLP (community of Portuguese Language Countries) and create the National Aliens and Borders Unit (UNEF), which will be responsible for monitoring immigrants on national territory.
A move by PS Socialists has delayed voting on UNEF, and BE’s protest has helped ‘buy time’ for the left that is so opposed to the government’s plans for change.
But PSD MP António Rodrigues told this morning’s session that the government will not give up.
In an interview with Diário de Notícias, he said that a new specialised committee meeting will be held on Friday afternoon to discuss the changes. As he explained, the potestative request cannot be used on the same matters twice.
Rodrigues stressed that he is ‘convinced’ that the government’s proposed changes will be approved at the final parliamentary session on Wednesday July 16.
But as for the changes to the Nationality Law, these will have to wait until September. DN cites António Rodrigues saying the government hopes to see voting take place before the State Budget comes around at the beginning of October (when to add to all the activity, municipal elections will also be taking place).
Source: LUSA/ Diário de Notícias
