Pedro Nuno Santos defended this on Monday in an interview that marks the departure of the former Minister of Housing and Infrastructure as a commentator on SIC Newsthat the state must play a role in housing, just as it does in education and health care.
‘I don’t feel responsible for the crisis. Housing has been the Prime Minister’s priority from the beginning, since Matos Fernandes and Ana Pinho. For forty years we have left housing policy to the market. We have not done what we were doing in terms of education and education. healthcare. I am in favor of the state having a role to play. The Netherlands has almost 30% of public housing, Portugal has 2%”said the former government official, who believes the government could have gone further in supporting families paying mortgage loans as the “ECB has already raised interest rates ten times”.
The Socialist MEP says the housing crisis is due to increased investment by Portuguese and foreigners in real estate, not only as housing but also as financial assets, which “knocked the market out of balance.”
Pedro Nuno Santos says the “housing package complements the government’s policies, but it takes time.” “It is impossible to have houses ready tomorrow. In the meantime, we must support families”he emphasized.
In his debut as a commentator, the former minister says he will not oppose the government nor be a spokesperson for the government, but admits that he will be a “commentator who is a recognized member of the PS and who is the current government supports”. government”, while still giving his own opinion, because “PS has a great tradition of freedom of expression, since the time of Mário Soares and Manuel Alegre”.
Pedro Nuno Santos recalls that he never denied that he wanted to become Secretary General of the PS or Prime Minister, but that he never confirmed this either, recalling that the role of Secretary General of the PS “is not up for discussion “.
The Socialist MEP says the latest research “provides some interesting clues as to what could happen”. “The research shows that despite everything, the Portuguese people have confidence in the PS. PSD is at a crossroads in confirming a project. I think the problem is not a leadership issue, but a project problem. For the first time in many surveys, the left becomes the majority again”he emphasized, indicating that he had no ambition to stand as a candidate for the European elections.
Asked to comment on the 2024 state budget, which will be presented this Tuesday, Pedro Nuno Santos said he was not familiar with the document but was not a big fan of cutting the IRS. “Nearly half of families don’t pay IRS. When we cut the IRS, we benefit those at the top more, those in the middle less, and not at all those at the bottom. The state needs investments in the social state. and the social state are necessary”he emphasized.
Regarding TAP, he says he defends the opening of the airline’s capital to “foreign aviation groups, not to funds, but not to the sale of most of the capital.” “TAP is important for the country and we have a healthy company that makes a profit. TAP will give much more than 3.2 billion euros,” wrinkled.
Regarding the new airport, he criticizes the PSD for admitting to withdrawing support for the methodology chosen for the location, and reiterates that what he defends is “Montijo in the short term and Alcochete in the long term” .
Source: DN
