Demonstration in Geneva against cuts to Portuguese-language programs

Monday, March 19, 2012

Another demonstration against cuts by the Portuguese government to its Portuguese language teachers abroad has taken place, this time in Geneva (Switzerland).

Around 200 people demonstrated Saturday against Portuguese budgetary cuts. This economic program has hit the language courses financed by Lisbon.

The protestors called on Switzerland to put pressure on the Portuguese authorities for the maintenance of language courses for their children. The economic program threatens the language courses on behalf of children of the Portuguese community, the third-largest in Switzerland with 224,171 citizens.

The demonstration also denounced the "untenable position" for the 200 Portuguese state employees in Switzerland. The employees of the embasy and consulates as well as language teachers earn about 40% less than they did three years ago. They receive salaries below the level of minimum subsistence.

Not sure if these programs are only available for / popular with Portuguese descendants or whether there is a benefit to the rest of Switzerland in them.

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