The Chega deputy and candidate for the Sintra City Council presidency, Rita Matias, has been questioned by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in relation to the controversy surrounding the disclosure of foreign children’s names on social media.
After leaving the Palace of Justice in Lisbon, the parliamentarian revealed that “an agreement was established between the parties,” emphasizing that “this process is confidential, as it concerns minors and the protection of their rights” and therefore, she cannot “reveal too much of what happened,” although the civil process’s focus is the social media dissemination of children’s names, done by herself.
Despite this, and while asserting that Chega is made up of “honest people,” Rita Matias highlights that what drives the party is “a defense of Portugal and the Portuguese.” “Portugal first, the Portuguese first,” she said, alongside Pedro Frazão.
The parliamentarian stated that “the court sought to safeguard freedom of expression, but also the protection of minors.”
“This reassures me. We often see, throughout the country and the world, increasing censorship and repression of political discourse; this did not happen, and that satisfies me, it’s a victory. Today, it was not Rita Matias in court, but primarily the Portuguese mothers who have lost their jobs due to the lack of daycare vacancies. Portuguese families want their children to attend the promised public daycare, and it seems to me we are taking steps in the right direction,” she emphasized.
Regarding whether she will delete the video where she reads out several names of foreign children on social media, claiming they advanced ahead of Portuguese children during school registrations in Lisbon, Rita Matias refused to answer, asserting she is not “authorized” to specify “what will happen.”
When questioned about the possibility of repeating the same action, even though earlier she argued the necessity of protecting minors’ rights, Rita Matias assured that she “would disclose in the same way” the names of the foreign children.
“The court clearly understood that it was an exercise in political rhetoric to prove a point. Chega says that Portuguese children are being penalized in accessing daycares based on established criteria that allow, yes, for demographic and socioeconomic reasons, immigrants to advance in that access,” she said.
Rita Matias also claimed to have “ensured the safeguarding of all sensitive data that would identify where these children are” and mentioned that her geographical reference to Lisbon encompasses between 300 to 500 classes on a municipal level and about 2,500 preschool classes at the district level.
Thus, “yes, she would do it again,” she stated.
Matias and Ventura may still face fines
Rita Matias was questioned this Monday, September 29, in court after she released several names of foreign children on social media, alleging they advanced ahead of Portuguese children during school registrations in Lisbon, without providing evidence.
The case dates back to July 4. The Assembly of the Republic debated changes to the nationality law when André Ventura recited several foreign children’s names enrolled in a Lisbon school.
The reading of minors’ names sparked protests from various benches, with indignation extending beyond Parliament’s walls. Consequently, the Public Prosecutor’s Office opened a criminal inquiry into Chega’s president and his right-hand person, Rita Matias, as the deputy had read the children’s names on TikTok before the Parliament session.
At the time, André Ventura stated the list was “public,” although Rita Matias later admitted she had not verified its “veracity.”
Following the disclosure of the children’s names, several parent associations from Lisbon schools issued an open letter of repudiation, and the National Commission for Data Protection launched an investigation. Led by Paula Meira Lourenço, the agency will assess the situation, and if the complaints are upheld for violating the General Data Protection Regulation, those involved could face fines.
Additionally, the parents of one named child demanded that the deputy delete the video she posted and publicly apologize within a maximum of 10 days. Failing that, they want Rita Matias to pay a penalty of 500 euros per day until she apologizes.
It is not yet known what agreement was reached between this family and the Chega deputy. It is only known that the parties have reached an understanding.
