Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa made his first comment on the 2024 state budget this Wednesday, emphasizing its prudence, taking into account that neither an increase in exports nor a significant increase in economic growth is expected.
“Since the international economy started to shrink and stop growing, it became clear that this would also happen in Portugal. When moving from the first quarter to the second, we knew from that moment that we would stay away from last year’s figures. The budget does not count on an increase in exports or an increase in growth, so it tries to stimulate domestic demand increase, with an increase in the number of employees, retirees and pensioners, in order to achieve positive growth, which may be more or less dependent on the international situation. only possible solution”emphasized the President of the Republic, who recalled that “the most important countries for our exports”, France and Germany, “do not expect growth”.
Marcelo also says that “tourism has grown, but it is not growing as expected” and emphasizes that although there are people who expect and want more than what was announced by the government, “from the state’s point of view it was a risk. continue in injection”. ‘The government preferred to be cautious’he emphasized.
The head of state also emphasized the “important step” taken in reducing the tax burden, especially with regard to the IRS. “This is the first time this government has taken such bold steps.”he emphasized.
On the other hand, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa criticized the delay in the implementation of the executive leadership of the SNS. “A new SNS management scheme was announced a year and a month ago. A month ago it was announced that this will come into effect in January 2024. There was a waiting period of a year and three or four months. For a reform that takes a long time”he wailed.
Regarding the conflict in Israel, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa expressed his regret over the deaths of two young Portuguese-Israeli women after the Hamas attacks and refused to comment on the positions of the different Portuguese parties on the conflict.
“There were disagreements in the Assembly of the Republic, but the majority of the Portuguese people should not fail to condemn Hamas’s attack in a very sensitive region of the world, close to Europe. Our position is that there are two different states, and that is the same as that of the United Nations. This situation does not contribute to stabilization, but to radicalization. This is where inflation comes from.”said the President of the Republic, rejecting the idea that this war could damage support for Ukraine.
“I don’t think this war will damage support for Ukraine. It’s more of an instability. When there is instability, there is no negotiation, but confrontation.”he added.
Source: DN
