Luís Montenegro made a brief stop today in Entroncamento (Santarém district) to support the PSD/CDS-PP candidate Rui Madeira, who lost to the PS four years ago by just 65 votes. Montenegro noted that he has visited the area several times, both as leader of the PSD and as Prime Minister.
“I visited a school and clearly remember that one of the most pressing issues was multicultural management, given the number of nationalities present among the students, usually children of immigrants,” he stated.
Montenegro pledged to assist the current councilor “not only in upgrading the facilities but also in adapting them to the challenges faced by public schools today.”
One such challenge, he pointed out, “is the integration of our immigrants and their families.”
“We promise to better regulate migration flows to better dignify those who come here to work and to help us build a fairer country,” he remarked.
For this to happen, he argued, it is essential to ensure that “those who come to Portugal do so with a work contract so they can be directed towards achieving fuller integration,” including access to health, housing, and education.
About a week ago, parliament approved a new legal framework for the entry and stay of foreigners, which includes changes to family reunification rules.
The PSD leader also promised to consider Rui Madeira’s request to refurbish the Entroncamento train station from an accessibility standpoint, highlighting the importance of this mode of transportation for “the environment and quality of life.”
During his short walk through the center of Entroncamento, Montenegro greeted a big fan, Maria Cremelinda, who claimed to be “from the time of Sá Carneiro” and to have a photograph with the current Prime Minister, which she straightens every day.
“You have such a beautiful smile,” she praised.
“Some people say I smile too much, but you see, I do it naturally,” Montenegro replied.
In Entroncamento, he also received a gift of a set of cups with inscriptions related to the phenomena for which the town is known, such as the talking dog or the giant pumpkins.
