Attacks in Porto: Rui Moreira says “nothing justifies” and calls for the extinction of AIMA

Rui Moreira this Monday condemned the attack against immigrants in Porto, classifying it as “a hate crime” that has no acceptable justification. The mayor also calls for the extinction of AIMA, which he accuses of having done nothing since taking office.

“It is a hate crime that cannot be relativized and any attempt to explain or justify it is unacceptable. It is unacceptable to say that it occurs as a response to other crimes that are happening in the area”, he states.

The mayor of Porto considers that these are speeches that serve those interested in “opening barricades in our society”. He also guarantees that the authorities “are doing everything” to identify those responsible.

“We hope that the courts know how to punish them in an exemplary way,” he added.

The mayor also accuses the AIMA (Agency for Migration and Asylum Integration), which replaced the SEF, of not having done anything in Porto since taking office. Even calls for it to be extinguished.

“My office was contacted on Saturday by the president of AIMA who, surprisingly, came to ask what he could do. This agency, with more than 80 million euros in budget, 34 branches and 740 employees (…) after all, what did it do?”, he asked.

Rui Moreira argues that this episode requires concrete actions and also “responsibility and rationality” in the management of “scarce” public resources. It therefore calls for the extinction of AIMA ettransfer of resources to municipalities and police forces.

“AIM is an inoperative agency that wastes public money”, he concluded.