Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho denied today that he had ever encouraged young Portuguese to seek employment abroad, saying that it all is just an "urban myth."
"There are few urban myths, one of them is that I encouraged young people to emigrate. I challenge anyone to remember any speech or written document from me in this regard," said Passos Coelho talking to reporters in Coimbra.
The PM stressed that what he had said "was that we could not stigmatise those who have no opportunities here and have gone to other economies in order to find work."
"Clearly we cannot stigmatise them, it is a phenomenon that is well understood. It’s another thing to encourage people to leave the country, apart from those going for a good reason such as on exchange programmes, those seeking training out there and then wanting to return with experience, with vision," said Passos Coelho.
"But this is a benefit, it's nothing negative ... I hope that the country will grow at a rate that offers all young Portuguese a job, that's what we are working towards," said the PM.
The prime minister also said that Portugal, as well as being a society that can welcome more migrants, "must have space" so that whoever emigrated in search of a better job abroad can return "and to make sure that others who do not wish to leave are not forced to do so."
"We cannot help but think of those Portuguese who had to look abroad in order to find a professional opportunity," continued the PM.
"We hope that in the coming years Portugal will be a more welcoming country for those who are here and a country that is a preferred destination for those we need to come to work in Portugal, and to live in Portugal, as our society is ageing," said Passos Coelho with an eye to a halcyon future which ignores the present.
Comments
As Karel points out - this is gibberish. Portugal and its natives has consistently totally failed tens of thousands of northern EU citizens attempting to set themselves up here.
The Portuguese, through their lying, cheating and over-charging now being a by-word for what is wrong with the EU. As in "Are you portuguesing me, mate ?" (ie misleading or 'turning me over')
As often pointed out - it is idiotic to be endlessly reading over the years of despairing foreigners describing being robbed or cheated by some professional or public official - and bleating "Can anyone suggest a lawyer / architect / builder (etc etc) in the region of ###### who will honestly and for a reasonable fee put things right for us ?"
The exact opposite of a well regulated developed country !
Yet both you and them are allegedly in the European Union with its alleged 'harmonised' laws! And Portugal has had 30 years to get an understanding of what is expected of it.
public servants tell foreign residents "to return to their home land". And that has even been put on paper by some Presidents like it happened in 2004 in Lagoa.
Furthermore many public servants obstinately REFUSE to help foreign residents (who by the way provide a substantial part of those servant's salaries, don't they?) if they do not speak Portuguese.....
Why should mr Rabbit be an "exception" on these habits ????