The Council of Ministers approved on 1 July “the Integrar Valoriza pilot project, with the objective of reinforcing policies for the integration of immigrants”, which “aims to involve municipalities that have a high number of immigrant people living or working, as well as those where local economic activity depends on foreign labour”.

According to the Government's resolution, "the intention is, in this way, to promote networking, strengthening the integration responses in each territory, allowing the adequate monitoring of situations, either by social, work, housing, educational, health and civic level”.

"We have to guarantee the reception of immigrants with dignity", namely with "the monitoring of the health authorities", but also of the "authorities for working conditions", so that "situations as they have been registered are not repeated" and "surprised everyone,” the president of ANMP told the Lusa News Agency.

“It is good that there is a structured response [in the reception of immigrants]”, as recommended by the Government, with this resolution, added Manuel Machado, referring that, however, he still does not know the project in detail – but knows what it is “your spirit”, which is “very positive”.

“We Portuguese have an obligation to remember and not forget that, in the 60s Paris was the second Portuguese city”, he warned.

“Many Portuguese were hungry or had access to education because their parents emigrated” to France and other destinations, maintained Manuel Machado.

“Immigrants need us and we need immigrants,” he concluded.