Government will maintain reinforcement of police operations

The prime minister assured this Monday that the government intends to maintain the reinforcement of proximity policing and the prevention of criminal conduct « generating the feeling of insecurity. » Luís Montenegro stated that his opinion on safety in Portugal « did not change ».

The head of government chaired this Monday to the meeting of the Superior Council for Internal Security, which approved the Annual Internal Security Report (RASI), which will now be sent to the Assembly of the Republic.

The prime minister confirmed that general crime decreased last year 4.6% and violent crime increased by 2.6%. Asked whether or not these data confirm their perception of safety in Portugal, argued that there are “all the arguments to continue to consider Portugal a safe country,” but reaffirmed the alerts left in the past.

« My opinion has not changed, we have all the reasons for continuing to invest in security, policing proximity, preventing the criminal conduct that generate the feeling of insecurity that many Portuguese feel in their daily lives, » he said.

According to Lusa agency, Montenegro reaffirmed that Portugal “cannot live in the shadow of this context”, again pointing to other international examples.

« We have to be very attentive. Other countries have had a performance very similar to ours and today they have very serious problems of increased crime, particularly the most serious and violent crime, » he warned.