Chega announces commission of inquiry into the attribution of nationality and residence

Speaking to journalists, André Ventura also revealed that he will appeal the decision taken by the President of the Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, to refuse the admissibility of a Chega bill on changes to the nationality law due to doubts about its compliance with the Constitution of the Republic.

André Ventura even accused José Pedro Aguiar-Branco of “blocking” Chega’s political action, “recovering a practice from the times” of the former President of the Assembly of the Republic Ferro Rodrigues, and claimed that Chega defends the same thing on this matter as the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro: “Whoever commits serious crimes, after obtaining Portuguese nationality, loses Portuguese nationality”.

"With all due respect, it is not up to the President of the Assembly of the Republic to say whether a project is constitutional or unconstitutional. That is why we have a Constitutional Court", argued the president of Chega .

Regarding the initiative to set up a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the way in which nationality and residency have been granted to foreign citizens in Portugal, André Ventura justified the decision to move forward in a potestative manner – that is, without needing to subject it to approval in plenary – by anticipating the opposition of the PSD and PS.

"I will propose to the Chega Parliamentary Group that it immediately begin the proceedings for a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the granting of residence and nationality in recent years. This commission must determine the responsibility of the last socialist executive in this matter and also of the last government [PSD/CDS]", he said.

According to the president of Chega, this parliamentary commission of inquiry, “must investigate to the fullest extent, without limitations on people or positions, who was responsible for the disorganized entry of people into Portugal, many of them with a record, without any verification”.

"It is necessary to determine whether or not there is criminal liability here that should be referred to the Public Prosecutor's Office. We therefore hope that in the coming days parliament can start this commission of inquiry," he noted.

From a political point of view, in André Ventura's view, the PS and PSD are opposed to this commission of inquiry "because they know they have responsibilities in this matter".

"And today the country knows, in many places, that what was done in Portugal in recent years was criminal. It is now necessary to determine who is responsible," he added.

On June 11, Chega announced that it would submit a bill that provides for the withdrawal of Portuguese nationality from anyone who has obtained it through naturalization and commits serious crimes or encourages “hatred or humiliation of the nation,” as Barlavento reported .

Photo: Chega