The prime minister said he agreed with the project approved in parliament to ban the use of burqas in public spaces, this Monday, arguing that the right to security is at stake.
“I have a very clear opinion regarding the legislative process taking place in the Assembly of the Republic. If I were a deputy in the Assembly of the Republic, I would have voted in favor of the proposed legislation that is in progress todayincluding in essence the use of means by which people can walk with their faces covered in public spaces. In other words, the use of other ways to cover citizens’ faces”, he said.
At the press conference to close the work of the summit of the Southern Countries of the European Union (MED9), in the city of Portoroz, Slovenia, Luís Montenegro argued that the “right to security and the perception of security” is at stake and recalled that “a person’s right to freedom ends when that right puts the rights of other people at risk”.
“It’s not worth having big philosophical discussions about what constitutes a peaceful conception of life among all those who make up our community,” he added.
PSD, IL and CDS-PP approved, on Friday, in general, Chega’s bill which aims to prohibit the use of burqas in public spaces, citing women’s rights and security issues.
The initiative had favorable votes from Chega, PSD, IL and CDS-PP, votes against from PS, Livre, BE and PCP, and abstention from PAN and JPP.