The PCP’s secretary-general challenged the PS to approve party measures in areas such as housing or price-fixing, warning that it is not enough for the prime minister to have a “raised voice” against European Central Bank policies (ECB). .
Presenting the conclusions of the meeting of the PCP Central Committee, at the party’s national headquarters in Lisbon, Paulo Raimundo defended that “the government cannot remain silent and silent” in the face of the interest rate hikes that have been decided , given the criticism of António Costa in Brussels.
“The prime minister has raised his voice, but it is of little use if concrete measures are not taken. In fact, it was a voice that was raised with some contradiction,” he said.
António Costa said on Thursday that “there was not enough understanding” at the ECB about the nature of the inflation cycle, arguing that “it is more or less clear today that, in particular, the increase in extraordinary earnings has contributed more to sustaining inflation than wage increases”.
The communist leader expressed his agreement with this analysis and challenged the prime minister to be consistent and set prices for essential goods and services and approve the PCP’s proposal so that, as in the time of the pandemic, a moratorium on home loans. for a maximum period of two years during which households only pay interest, at the rate at which banks finance themselves.
“The statements are lip service or must have consequences, otherwise we no longer believe. The PS and the socialist government now have the opportunity to approve our proposals, in the context of the ‘More Housing’ package, which materialize from the alleged disagreement with the ECB”, challenged.
The PCP secretary-general also expressed the expectation that the measures the party is taking for discussion and voting next Friday could be approved in a potestative schedule in a diploma that aims to reduce taxes on employees and pensioners, the increase taxation of economic groups through tax breaks and VAT reductions on electricity, gas and telecommunications.
“We will see how others, who talk about taxes every day, will behave in the discussion and vote on the PCP’s proposals,” he challenged.
On housing, in addition to proposing a moratorium, the Secretary General of the PCP also believed that the state should play a central role in a mediated renegotiation of housing loans between individuals and banks, as well as the establishment of Caixa Geral the Depósitos have a ‘mandatory maximum spread of 2.5%.
In his opening speech, Paulo Raimundo reiterated that “the propaganda of the good results of the economy does not correspond to the living conditions of the majority of the population” and called for “intensification of the struggle” of the workers.
“All resources and instruments of big business (political, economic, media) are mobilized to consolidate its power and guarantee that the maximum that can be pursued is an alternation of faces or parties,” he criticized.
The Central Committee’s communiqué emphasizes that the party “rejects inevitability or blackmail, be it possible dissolutions and early elections, or the escalation of dangers for the survival of right-wing politics”.
The PCP Central Committee has been meeting since Friday to analyze the “political and social situation” and the party’s tasks, in what was the body’s third meeting since Paulo Raimundo took office as general secretary.
Source: DN
