Livre will abstain from the final vote on the state budget for 2023 (OE2023), noting that it managed to get 25 “concrete measures” approved with “real impact”, such as the introduction of a national rail pass.
This decision, which upholds the party’s position overall, was approved by the Free Assembly – the highest body between congresses – which met on Thursday evening with 78% of the vote, according to information released to Lusa by the party.
The note states that Livre “defends a budgetary strategy anchored in economic and fiscal options that address the social and environmental emergency as priorities, as well as the guarantee of quality public services” and that this budget “does not respond adequately to these demands, so that a favorable mood on the part of Livre would never be possible”.
“Nevertheless, given the important results achieved in the adoption of concrete measures with a budgetary impact, but above all with a real impact on the lives of many people, the vote for Livre will amount to abstention in the final general vote on the state Budget for 2023”, persevere.
The party represented by Rui Tavares in the Assembly of the Republic claims to have taken a “constructive attitude of dialogue and negotiation”, but regrets that the government “by its own choice” has not ended the “golden visa” in this budget.
“For Livre, now would be the time to demonstrate more social responsibility and avoid an overly restrictive fiscal strategy, anticipate the possibility of a recession and pursue counter-cyclical policies, strengthen the welfare state, combat climate change and the environmental crisis. mitigate, promote and protect the local economy,” they argue.
In the specialty, however, Livre managed to get 25 amendments approved, including a National Rail Pass, “to relieve families, in mobility and transport, valid for regional trains with a maximum value of 49 euros per month, a measure that will have a have an impact of approximately 40 million euros on the OE2023”.
“A study was also approved to extend the pass to urban, inter-regional and intercity services, as well as the general revision of the fare for rail services,” they emphasize.
Other measures that managed to get the ‘green light’ from the socialist majority were the increase in child benefits for single-parent families in 2023 and 2024, or the reinforcement of the 3C program (House, Comfort and Climate),’ with the allocation of at least 140 million from ‘Repower EU’ [o pacote energético europeu]with an advance and coverage of the costs of interventions in housing for people with lower incomes and with a study of a tax reduction of 10%”.
Livre also saw the approval of a proposal that increases the annual income limit for VAT-exempt self-employed from the current 12,500 euros to 13,500 euros.
“The threshold is already set at 13,500 euros in 2023 – an increase of 8% compared to the current value – and will go to 14,500 euros in 2024 and to 15,000 euros in 2025,” they underline in the text.
Human rights training for public functions; the transfer of five million euros to the Cultural Heritage Guarantee Fund, after the cabinet had announced the end of the Heritage Lottery; the increase of the total allocation of the “solidarity account” to EUR 3 million next year; and the creation of a white paper on sex work and prostitution were other approved measures highlighted by the party.
Budget marathon ends today with approval guaranteed by PS
The parliament today ends the consideration of the state budget for 2023, the approval of which is guaranteed by the absolute majority of the PS.
Before the moment of the final vote, the parties with parliamentary seats and the government will have the opportunity to intervene in the closing session, with the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Pedro Nuno Santos, responsible for the intervention of the executive, according to information given to the agency Lusa by official source.
The day begins with the discussion and vote on the standards imposed by the parties.
The budget process began on 10 October with the submission by the government of its proposal, which was approved in the general vote with only votes for the PS and abstentions from the only PAN and Livre deputies, who earned the PS’ vote against. other parties.
This year, the parties broke the record for tabled amendments and more than 1,800 votes have been cast since Monday, with the vast majority of opposition proposed measures ultimately rejected by the PS.
The ‘champions’ of the enforceable measures were Livre and PAN – together they accounted for half a hundred – the only ones to continue negotiations with the government.
PSD, IL, PCP and BE were given the green light for fewer than 20 amendments in total, leaving Chega alone with zeros.
Source: DN
