Portugal's Socialist leader António Costa has decided that far too many young people have left Portugal and that the government programme to lure them back with grants, is a trick.
Costa was addressing a rally in Ponte da Barca last night and covered the topic of the estimated 350,000 people who have left Portugal during the crisis to find work abroad.
Those qualified young people who have emigrated need to return to Portugal apparently, because the country did not provide them with sufficient opportunity and needs them back to help build “a future of security and confidence."
Costa’s emotive speech was addressed directly to emigrants, "I know you did not give up Portugal, but I also know that Portugal has not given up on you, that Portugal cannot do without you, Portugal did not send you away, Portugal is here with open arms, Portugal says we need you again because the country needs to build a future of security and confidence," said Costa without mentioning any policy initiatives aimed at encouraging the return of those working abroad.
The general secretary of the socialist party said that the migration that the country has experienced in recent years "is one of the worst legacies with which this government leaves the country.”
Costa said the "new migration cycle" is "destructive of our self-esteem, of the investment that many families made in the education of their children, and is destructive of dreams."
"The problem is not only the broken dreams, it is not just families who are separated, it is what the loss means for the future of our country. What blocked the development of the country was that for decades we did not have the level of education that other countries had.”
Now that Portugal has educated a generation of professional they are leaving home to find work, mostly within the open door policy of the EU member states. This was always going to be the case for as long as Portugal is a low wage - high tax economy and with the lack of jobs in southern Europe, qualified people leave to better themselves.
António Costa mentioned the election year programme launched by the government to attract emigrants back home. He was referring to the Vem (Come) initiative which gives just 20 of the 350,000 the chance to qualify for a €20,000 grant to help with relocation costs.
“Who are they kidding in offering a programme that addresses 20 people?” asked the socialsist elader, not really expecting an answer.
For Costa it is these and other tricks that destroy the credibility of politics, "which makes citizens think that politicians are all tricksters.”
