Portugal gives migrants and asylum-seekers full citizenship rights during coronavirus pandemic

There’s a piece of good news for migrants and asylum-seekers in Portugal as they were given full citizenship right due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The full citizenship is temporal anyway.

According to reports, the move will “unequivocally guarantee the rights of all the foreign citizens” with applications pending with Portuguese immigration, meaning they are “in a situation of regular permanence in National Territory,” until June 30, the Portuguese Council of Ministers have said.

The Portuguese Council of Ministers explained that the decision was taken to “reduce the risks for public health” of maintaining the current scheduling of appointments at the immigration office, for both the border agents and the migrants and asylum seekers.

President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa called the COVID-19 pandemic “a true war,” which would bring true challenges to the country’s “way of life and economy.”

Rebelo de Sousa also praised the behaviour of Portuguese citizens, “who have been exemplary in imposing a self-quarantine,” reflecting “a country that has lived through everything.”

Portugal has 6,408 recorded cases of coronavirus, with 140 deaths and 43 recovered, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.

Experts are predicting that the virus could hit Portugal harder, hence, they’re beefing up their efforts to contain the already recorded cases and prevent the spread.