The team of the Minister of State and the Presidency was being heard in the Commission of Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees, in a regimental hearing, during which the Secretary of State Cláudia Pereira stressed that even during the pandemic the Government continued "to welcome those most in need", and the country received 116 refugees.

"We will receive in the coming weeks another 50 refugees, of which 24 are unaccompanied minors from Greece", she said, stressing that this is an effort by the High Commission for Migrations (ACM), in conjunction with other public institutes.

According to Cláudia Pereira, this effort has been made at four levels, from the increase in the number of refugees received in Portugal, the strengthening of monitoring, the increase in the number of entities involved and through better funding conditions.

The Secretary of State gave as an example the Portuguese Language of Reception programme, which has a new unit for speakers of non-Latin alphabets, since most refugees are from Syria and unaccompanied minors come mainly from Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Cláudia Pereira said that the ACM will open tenders worth 4 million Euros for entities that work with migrants and refugees, stressing that the total public contribution is ensured by the State Budget.

Regarding voter registration, the Secretary of State said that work has been done in the municipalities to encourage immigrants to register, and Pereira added that soon there will be campaigns on social networks and through the distribution of leaflets.