"This pact does not defend migrants' rights, it defends a wrong idea that we can control immigration by closing borders", criticized Francisco Paupério, who today visited a project aimed at the Asian migrant community in Marinha das Ondas, Figueira da Foz.

The project "Learning Portuguese", created in 2017, involves about 200 immigrants, mainly from Nepal, India and Bangladesh, and aims to support newcomers to the parish by opening the first door to their integration into the local community and the job market through the Portuguese language.

"There are (European) funds precisely for this type of project and the Free Party wants them to be increased. It's not just a matter of border security. We need to have these inclusion projects, to show that these projects work and we have, in Portugal, several cases where integration works", said the Free Party candidate for the European elections of June 9, in statements to journalists.

Stressing the importance of that project's role, in a parish where 10% to 20% of the population is immigrant, Francisco Paupério also defended the flexibility of access to existing European funds, which cannot depend on the financial capacity of institutions to produce "large applications".

"We want the process to be made easier, (...) to make it fair and so that all parish councils, even with few resources, can win, because we have seen that we have a winning project here, a project that works", he said, referring to the fact that Marinha das Ondas "has done a Herculean job, with few resources".

This lack of resources was also confirmed by the president of the Parish Council, José Alberto Suzana, who, in conversation with the candidate for the European elections, explained how the project has helped to integrate immigrant citizens, but resources are lacking to respond to the growing community.

"The parish councils work to the limit, we don't have many resources", said the mayor, who complained of being often forgotten by the Government.

Returning to the European context, Francisco Paupério insisted that there are already many rules for the entry of migrants, but their integration is failing.

"This has not happened and this is what this pact does not provide for. We have to encourage this type of project", he stressed.

In a meeting with some of the immigrant citizens who are part of the "Learning Portuguese" project, Francisco Paupério heard the story of someone who had already been to several European countries, but it was in Portugal that he found a home away from home.

Jaya Gautam, a Nepalese, arrived in Portugal about five years ago. He still does not master the Portuguese language, but he speaks well enough to hold a conversation and when he described his experience to the Free Party candidate, "good" was the word he used most to talk about the country, Marinha das Ondas and the way he was received.

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