It’s another stumbling block in the programme that has already brought around 1,500 refugees to Portugal and seen more than half of them abandon the country, more often than not in disgust. Público has published moving accounts of men who risked their lives to escape the ravages of war to see their dreams of bringing their families here put on hold by endless bureaucracy.
Say public entities involved, it is not right.
Rui Marques, responsible for PAR (the platform for refugee support) told the paper that “family reunification is a fundamental right enshrined in law.
“There is no question about it. It is not an option, it is a right”, he said – and it should not be conditioned on the existence of a work contract or a permanent address.
But, for reasons Público does not tackle, these are the conditions laid down by Portuguese authorities which have left many refugees waiting well over the 18-month period in which they get the stipulated State support.
For one whom the paper talked to, the agony of waiting has seen him say he would have preferred to die in the sea, as at least then he would have died “with dignity”, trying to bring his family with him.
Abdul, from Syria, has “given up hope in Portugal” one of his friends told the paper – though the 42-year-old admits that he tries to hold onto the assurance given to him by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa that his family “would come to Portugal”.
That promise was made in April 2016, says Público, when President Marcelo was on a visit to the Alentejo.
natasha.donn@algarveresident.com
