“There are no specific dates as yet, but this is a situation in permanent evolution”, she told reporters.
Recalling that the Portuguese state has always been willing to “receive and welcome refugees who need national protection”, the minister said there was already a work group “preparing all the requirements on the ground to create the best conditions possible
“The work does not just involve the state, but also charities, local authorities and civil society, which has shown its willingness to respond to this human need”, Anabela Rodrigues added.
Portugal is going to receive 3,074 refugees as part of the distribution plan for 120,000 refugees in all European countries, the president of the European parliament, Jean-Claude Juncker, said earlier this week.
The numbers were calculated taking into consideration the population, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), how many refugees the country already had in the past four years and unemployment.