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Group of 64 refugees arrive in Lisbon

Xinhua, March 8, 2016 Adjust font size:

A group of 64 refugees, mostly from Syria and Iraq, arrived in Lisbon on Monday and will be placed in institutions around the country.

The refugees arrived at the airport of Figo Maduro in Lisbon in a flight coming from Greece.

Their arrival comes after Portugal welcomed 30 asylum seekers last week.

Portugal has received up to 130 refugees so far following an agreement with the European Union in September last year.

The refugees were welcomed by the Minister Assistant to the Prime Minister Eduardo Cabrita and by the Director of the Foreigner's and Border Service, Luisa Maia Goncalves.

Amid a crisis of European solidarity, Portugal has shown to be open to receiving refugees. Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Monday at a summit at Brussels that he wanted Europe to be the "Schengen" of Europe, pointing out that it was important to "reaffirm what is Europe's duty," which is to "assure the international protection that every human, victim of persecution, of war, of lack of freedom, deserves and has the right to obtain."

In March alone, another 100,000 migrants will enter Greece. The International Organization for Migration has pointed out that around 134,905 migrants and refugees have crossed the Mediterranean this year.

The country that has received the most refugees is Germany thanks to its "open-door refugee policy", while countries like Hungary and Sweden have been less generous. Hungary, which recently cut subsidies and space for refugees, has said the influx needs to be stopped and has built fences to divert people from entering the country.

Portugal has taken on a more positive approach, and committed to accepting 4,756 refugees in two years, later deciding that it would take in 10,000 in total. On Thursday the country expects to receive another 50 refugees.

While some protests in Portugal have taken place against the arrival of refugees due to the bleak economic crisis and lack of jobs, the government has highlighted that they will benefit parts of the country that have become deserted.

Portugal is offering young refugees the chance to study, and in February last year the government announced a plan to distribute 2,000 scholarships, with the right to have housing and Portuguese and English classes. There are also opportunities to work in agriculture and in regions where there is a low population density. Enditem