Lisbon — The free circulation of citizens from the Portuguese Speaking Community (CPLP) in the common space, must be done gradually, with priority to some social and professional categories that, due to their activity, have more need to travel.

This position was expressed Sunday in Lisbon, by the speaker of the Cape Verde National Assembly, Aristides Lima, in the light of the 2nd CPLP Parliamentary Assembly taking place in Lisbon, Portugal.

According to the MP, the free circulation of CPLP citizens must be implemented at pace, adding the community is now in a better position to discuss the issue.

He recalled that Cape Verde unilaterally approved, in 1996, its Lusophone Citizen Status, granting to some CPLP citizens within the territory certain rights like that to vote in the autarchic polls and access to nationality more easily than other foreigners.

To Aristides Lima, the ongoing meeting is an important moment for the affirmation of certain principles that will afterwards be discussed at governmental level.

Angola is attending the 2nd CPLP Parliamentary Assembly with a delegation headed by the National Assembly speaker, Paulo Kassoma.

The delegation includes the MPs João Melo, Lúcia Tomás, Luís Reis Cuanga, Cristóvão da Cunha and Lukamba Gato. The CPLP groups Angola, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, Cape Verde, Brazil, Portugal and East Timor.