Portugal voted against the proposal for European redistribution of refugees, claiming it was in a “migration crisis”.
The European Commission will re-evaluate the situation of immigrants in Portugal, at the request of the Portuguese Government, which voted against a European redistribution of refugees, claiming that the country was unable to accept them, as it was in a “migration crisis”.
The Commission is “analyzing additional information recently provided by Portugal on the deterioration of the migratory situation” and go proceed “a new assessment and will propose appropriate follow-up measures”said the European Commissioner responsible for Home Affairs and Migration, in a letter sent today to the Government and to which Lusa had access.
“I want to emphasize that the Commission will continue to monitor the migratory situation in all member states” and “is willing to re-evaluate the situation in Portugal at the appropriate time”, wrote Magnus Brunner.
This letter followed Portuguese opposition, at the beginning of the month, to Brussels’ proposal to redistribute 21,000 asylum seekers under the European solidarity mechanism.
So Portugal voted against, alongside Hungary and Slovakia, but because it considered that the data that served as the basis for the decision were based on outdated numbers and asked for an exception.
Despite this vote against, eighteen countries, including Portugal, will have to welcome these asylum seekers from June 2026 or pay for others to do so.
The Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, insisted that the country is suffering migratory pressurebut the most recent European reports do not have the same conclusionbecause they do not yet include the most recent numbers (440 thousand expressions of interest and a total of 1.5 million foreigners in 2024).
In the letter, Magnus Brunner highlighted Portugal’s role in European migration management, as has been the most recent trend, with more restrictive policies.
“I would like to underline our appreciation for the strong support that Portugal has shown, over the years, in the negotiation, adoption and implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum and, recently, in the reform of its laws and institutions in matters of migration and asylum”, wrote the commissioner, who also highlighted the “significant increase, recently reported, in the number of return orders issued by Portuguese authorities to third country nationals detected in an irregular situation.
The government is promoting new rules to speed up the return process and Brunner welcomed Lisbon’s decision: “We take note of the efforts that your authorities are making to expand this capacity, which will be completed in the medium term”, wrote further.
