Idanha-a-Nova treated the group of 15 Romanians, who were helped by the Chamber of Castro Marim, "as if they had leprosy". The statement is from the Algarvian mayor Francisco Amaral, who did not like to see the municipality of the district of Castelo Branco accuse his municipality of "lack of institutional respect" for having collaborated, with the Romanian embassy, in the transport of migrants to the parish of Idanha. of St. Michael of Acha.
It all started on Saturday, April 25th, when 15 Romanians arrived at Lisbon Airport, having Spain as their destination, where they would work.
They went to the border of Caia, in the municipality of Elvas, but the Spanish authorities blocked their entry.
Faced with this situation, the workers, who had valid documentation, not least because they are part of a Member State of the European Union, headed south, and tried their luck at the Castro Marim border, but here too, they were unable to reach the country. neighbor.
After being abandoned on the side of the road by taxi drivers, who transported them to the border, they eventually reached the village of Castro Marim, on foot, where they were welcomed by this municipality, with the collaboration of the local Santa Casa da Misericórdia.
«The municipality of Idanha-a-Nova complains that it was not notified of the arrival of this group of people in the municipality, but we also did not go and help them», highlights Francisco Amaral to Sul Informação.
The Chamber of Castro Marim tried to resolve the situation with Spain, but the rigidity of the border agreement, which only allows the movement of goods and workers across borders, was not overcome by the Spanish authorities.
Contacts were also made with secretaries of State of the Portuguese Government, from which, until today, "we are still waiting for an answer", continues Francisco Amaral.
After contacting the Romanian Embassy, «the solution was found to take the group to Castelo Branco, through an association», the Romanian Association of Aldeia de Santa Margarida, in Idanha-a-Nova, «with links to the Orthodox Church ».
The problem is that the 15 workers did not go to the district headquarters of Castelo Branco, but to the neighboring municipality of Idanha-a-Nova, where they arrived at the end of Thursday night, causing "great social alarm".
The Chamber of Idanha-a-Nova, which says that the process was conducted by the Embassy, the Romanian Association of Aldeia de Santa Margarida and the Chamber of Castro Marim, did not like not being informed and considers that this fact reveals a «lack of institutional respect and disregard for the health of the Idanha community».
For the municipality of Idanha-a-Nova, who went public to demonstrate their "deep indignation", "the fact that they had not previously communicated the arrival of these citizens, not being in question their nationality, made the timely and articulated response between the local entities, as it should have happened, namely the fulfillment of the rules of social isolation, destined to all those who arrive in our county, coming from other parts of the country or the world».
Therefore, the Municipal Council of Idanha-a-Nova says it understands "the indignation and restlessness of our population, who have made a great civic effort to comply with safety standards and respect with sacrifice the distance from their loved ones."
The Municipality of the Castelo Branco district guarantees that "it immediately took", in conjunction with the GNR and the Parish Council of São Miguel de Acha, "diligences to safeguard the health of our population and provide an adequate humanitarian response to the 15 Romanian citizens'.
The workers, who had already undergone Covid-19 screening tests, in Caia, were tested again on Saturday, tested negative and were transported to Lisbon Airport, «by indication and in conjunction with the Romanian Embassy in Portugal, on a bus from the Municipality of Idanha-a-Nova”, and have already returned to their country.
The Chamber of Idanha-a-Nova considers "that the solution found, in record time, gave the best possible response to this situation that could have been peaceful if properly articulated between all parties."
The situation was not peaceful and there is still no truce, because the Chamber of Castro Marim also did not like the position taken by its counterpart in the center of the country.
Francisco Amaral, in statements to the Sul Informação, says that the City Council of Idanha-a-Nova had an attitude towards the workers “it seemed that they had leprosy, reaching the contours of xenophobia”.
This statement by the Algarvian mayor reinforces the content of a statement from the Chamber of Castro Marim, released this Monday, which “regrets the position taken by the Municipal Council of Idanha-a-Nova, which turned a humanitarian situation into a game of faults between municipalities».
The Algarve municipality explains that, after having been contacted by the Chamber of Castro Marim, the Romanian Embassy “made every effort to welcome, with a minimum of human dignity, the 15 citizens, guaranteeing accommodation that would be, from the outset, in the municipality of Castelo Branco, a situation that changed during the transfer carried out by the municipality of Castro Marim».
The municipality presided over by Francisco Amaral emphasizes “that only in this condition did they leave Castro Marim”.
"In fact", continues the Chamber, "it is important to clarify that the Castro-Armarin government only had a humanitarian response in mind, both in the reception and in the resolution of this situation, and rejects the accusations of lack of institutional respect and disregard for the health of the Idanha community».
The Algarve municipality considers that “in a situation of this nature, there will be greater values that arise and it is up to the municipalities to clarify and calm their populations”.
The Chamber of Castro Marim also guarantees that “the competent authorities were informed of the transfer, with a note from the Romanian Embassy in Portugal” and that “the rules of social isolation were not compromised at any time, as citizens have already been tested by Covid- 19, all negative, in Elvas, in his first attempt to cross the border».
The Algarve authority emphasizes that "Romanian citizens are human beings, they are European citizens and they were not illegal in Portugal" and says it believes that "both the Municipality of Elvas, the Municipality of Castro Marim, and the Municipality of Idanha-a-Nova , did the best they could, both for the benefit of their populations and for the group of Romanian citizens, but we reject accusatory and inappropriate positions in the context, which bordered on xenophobia».
In the communiqué, the Chamber of Castro Marim also reiterates “the gratitude and recognition of the effort and commitment of all those involved in resolving the situation – the GNR of Castro Marim, the Aanta Casa da Misericórdia of Castro Marim, the local health delegate and the Municipality employees, who, outside the scope of their functions, ensured the well-being of the 15 workers and the best resolution of the problem».
Finally, the council presided over by Francisco Amaral considers that this "regrettable" case should serve as a reflection on diplomacy between Portugal and Spain, "since there is already news that while the airspace in Portugal is open, the borders in Spain may be closed until October».
Help us to do the Sul Informação!
Contribute your donation so that we can continue to make your journal!
Click here to support us (Paypal)
Or use our IBAN PT50 0018 0003 38929600020 44
Comments