The number of cases of mugging and other violent robbery, in particular, had fallen sharply, she said.

The minister was responding to deputies' questions in parliament, during a debate on the Annual Report on Internal Security for 2015.

The data for the first quarter of this year "attest to the downward trend" in overall crime and of violent crimes reported, and confirm that "Portugal really is a safe country", the minister said. Last year saw a 2.2% decrease in violent crimes against persons, and of 1.3% of violent crimes against property.

On the 2015 report, she noted that there was a "slight increase", of 1.3%, in overall reported crime, which she said was due to three factors. Firstly there was a "significant increase in crimes relative to forest fires", secondly crimes were recorded that are part of a new type of offences that did not exist in 2014, such as the ill treatment of pet animals, and thirdly there was a "very significant" increase in the reporting of crimes, due to "police proactivity".

Setting these cases aside, she said, "there was not such a significant increase in general reported crime" in 2015, while the downward trend in the number of violent and serious crimes - those that "generate a greater feeling of insecurity" had continued.