The President of the Republic continues to take his foot off the accelerator in his confrontation with the Prime Minister. After denying on Wednesday the so-called protest character of António Costa’s silence during the last meeting of the Council of State, this Thursday he praised the measures announced by the Socialist leader in rent of his party, describing them as “signs of hope for the future”.
While it is true that he noted its electoral character (“they are clever in electoral terms, that is what they do”), Marcelo emphasized that this is what the opposition parties are also doing at the moment (and not just the ruling party): “Other parties also announced promises and suggestions. It is clear that when elections are coming – and we already have one in twenty days in Madeira and another in eight months. [para o Parlamento Europeu] – because then the Portuguese sharpen their eyes to see if it can be something more. If it’s a little more, the better. Elections also serve that purpose.”
“This is all very important. One of the things I think is good about September is the rents partisan,” he declared, highlighting “the announcements and proposals” as “signs of hope for the future”, that is, “a series of measures that are important”. When questioned by journalists, he specifically commented on the idea of extension of zero VAT: “This difference makes a difference to those who have very little.”
Moreover, he assured peace in his coexistence with the Prime Minister: “I have no institutional quarrels with any body,” he said, returning to the thesis of the disagreement between him and the Prime Minister on the more or less optimistic way in which they deal with the reality (“the prime minister is more optimistic than me, he always sets the bar very high”).
He also took the opportunity to agree with António Costa in stating that each person at the different levels of power must exercise his or her powers without invading those of others (‘for the state to function properly, every person to stand on their own and do what they want’). they want.” competes”). Jokingly, he said he refused “agricultural images”. But he added, “I never thought the president was a government [deve estar] in the exercise of his power. And the power of the President of the Republic is to be a moderating, controlling, or controlling power over what government is.”
The president was clearly in good spirits speaking to journalists at the inauguration of the 6.1km river route that now links Lisbon to Loures and Vila de Xira. This concerns an investment of 13 million euros resulting from the rehabilitation of that area on the occasion of World Youth Day.
Marcelo took the opportunity to highlight the work as an example of what can happen when the different powers of the state decide to work together to overcome divisions between parties. “This work was all done because there was institutional cooperation,” he said, speaking of the government and local authorities involved.
“Copies, but copies badly”
The opposition reacted as expected to the measures announced by Costa: by opposing them (see quotes below).
The PSD defended that the measures are “patches” that come “in the wake” of proposals from the Social Democrats, and accused António Costa of “not being a doer, but a bad follower who copies poorly”. António Leite Amaro, vice president of the party, told journalists that it is “clear that the government is responding in the wake of the PSD.” But “copies, but copies badly”. “What it presents is clearly poor and unable to solve the budgetary suffocation, nor the suffocation of young people who do not see the conditions to settle and emancipate in this country.”
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Costa’s promises
These are the main measures that António Costa announced on Wednesday during the PS ‘return’ in Évora.
VAT. Extension of the zero VAT reduction from the end of October (originally planned date) until December 31. Zero VAT applies to 46 food products for which VAT went to 0% last April. The measure was announced by António Costa at the Socialist meeting on Wednesday evening and approved by the Council of Ministers yesterday.
Tuition fees. For every year of work in Portugal, the government will refund one year of tuition fees paid to a public university in the country. 697 euros per year bachelor’s degree and 1500 euros per year master’s degree. The measure will also apply to young people who have benefited from the School Social Action in higher education.
tax authorities. In the first year that people report their income, there is full relief from the IRS. In the second year of operation, the beneficiaries of this measure pay 25% of the IRS they would have to pay, in the third and fourth year of work they pay only half, and in the fifth year they pay 75% of the tax they would have to pay.
Passes. From January 2024, tickets for children under the age of 23 will be free for all children and young people up to the age of 23.
‘Checkbook’. From next year, young people who turn 18 will receive a ‘book voucher’.
To travel. Everyone who completes compulsory education “receives a pass that allows them to stay for a week (six nights) in the youth hostel network and four travel tickets in CP.
public function. Annual recruitment of a thousand senior technicians for public administration.
Source: DN
