The Minister of Justice considered this Thursday that the European directive on the exchange of information on third-country nationals is of “crucial importance” to fight crime and guarantee “an area of freedom and security.”
Catarina Sarmento e Castro was speaking in parliament at the presentation of the bill that transposes this European Union (EU) directive aimed at make the exchange of information between Member States on criminal records more efficient and accurate of third-country nationals, stateless persons or persons of unknown nationality.
The government diploma led PSD, Chega, PAN and Livre to make some corrections to the legislation and to propose improvements in the area of specialization, if that happens, but to convey the idea that they would not make the proposal unfeasible, with the largest Criticisms have been made by the deputy Alma Rivera (PCP), who described the reform of the European information system as “a drift of security”.
The communist deputy said that this information exchange system is presented as a response to terrorism and crime, but that the proposal “goes much further”, being a “reaction and a threat to migration”, within the concept of ” Fortress Europe” and compromising the rights, freedoms and guarantees of immigrants and other citizens.
Also Pedro Filipe Soares (BE) made reservations about the bill and about the “paradigm of legality” in which the diploma is insertedwarning about aspects related to fundamental rights and about the fact that countries like Hungary are not “as guaranteed” in the protection of these rights as Portugal.
Rui Tavares (Livre) also mentioned that the proposal aroused reservations from the Bar Association and the National Data Protection Commission, but recognized the need to ensure security in the EU spaceSo, he said, “there are aspects that need to be worked on.”
Bruno Nunes (Basta), Cristiana Ferreira (PSD) and Inês Sousa Real (PAN) made some occasional corrections to the diplomabut they essentially agreed that this exchange of information on third country nationals will be an important help for the police and justice in the fight against crime and terrorism.
Minister Catarina Sarmento e Castro took advantage of the closure of the debate to allay some of the fears expressed, to clarify that the proposal had not been approved earlier only because of the latest political crisis (which led to early legislative elections) and to reiterate that this exchange system of information is “another stone in the area of freedom and security of the EU”.
At stake in this directive is “the creation of a centralized system for determining the Member States that have information on convictions of third-country nationals and stateless persons (ECRIS-TCN) in order to complete the European Background Information System penalties.
One of the amendments aims to ensure that the Portuguese criminal intelligence services respond to requests for information on criminal records of third-country nationals, stateless persons or persons of unknown nationality sent by the central authorities of other Member States, regardless of whether these people reside or have resided in national territory.
In this bill, the Superior Council of the Judiciary, the Bar Association and the National Data Protection Commission, as well as the Superior Council of the Public Ministry, are heard.
The bill was approved with votes in favor from PS, PSD and PAN and received votes against from PCP and BE. Enough, Liberal Initiative and Livre abstained.
Source: Observadora
