The president of the republic pointed out on Monday that he is no stranger to what society says about medically assisted death, guaranteeing that the “ripening process” of his decision will be enriched by various contributions.
“I am not exactly locked in a bubble, in a capsule, outside the world, unaware of what very different sectors of Portuguese society, both in this and other laws, say about the best solution for a law that moment of leaving parliament,” added Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
The head of state addressed journalists after a debate lesson with students from the Primary and Secondary School of Ourém (Santarém).
“I have already had the opportunity to say that throughout the process – it has been seven years with different legislatures – I have listened and got to know everything that came to me, entities representing health sectors, groups of citizens with different points of view, political parties, institutions, such as now the Regional Assembly of Madeira,” said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, referring to the fact that he “notes all this” and is “observant and the maturing process of the decision is enriched by this”.
The Assembly of the Republic on Friday approved the decriminalization of medically assisted death in a final global vote, for the third time, with votes from the majority of the PS, IL, BE and some deputies from the PAN and Livre as well as six parliamentarians from the PSD.
They voted against the parliamentary groups of Chega and PCP and the majority of the Social Democratic bank.
A total of 210 delegates attended the plenary session. According to data made available by parliamentary services in the chamber, 125 deputies voted in favour, 81 against and four abstained.
The decree is now being finalized and has yet to be considered by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who can issue it, veto it or ask the Constitutional Court for a pre-emptive inspection of the text.
On Friday evening, upon arrival in Mindelo (Cape Verde), Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa admitted that he will soon decide on the diploma decriminalizing euthanasia, approved in parliament, and said he had no doubts.
“It is your doubt, it is your question, what is your duty to ask. For me it is not a matter of doubt, I must have a text and after the text I formulate my decision, and it will not be for a long time after .I get the 16 [de dezembro] it could be this weekend, it is normal for it to be. I will receive the 19th, it will be one or two days later,” the president said.
Marcelo should start traveling to hospitals on Tuesday or Wednesday
The president of the republic declared on Monday that he would have to go to hospitals on Tuesday or Wednesday to find out the reasons for the restrictions registered in the emergency departments of various units.
“Already tomorrow [terça] or the day after tomorrow [quarta-feira] I will have the opportunity, accompanied of course by the government, to reconnect with the reality of health,” said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, in Ourém (Santarém), on the sidelines of a debate class with students from primary and secondary education. Secondary school.
The head of state acknowledged that “for a certain period of time, the pandemic and the post-pandemic” made this “of course less desirable and less likely”.
“But of course it is a sector that, like education and other social sectors, is fundamental to the country,” he added.
On Wednesday, in Abrantes, the president of the republic expressed his intention to visit the emergency services of hospitals soon, to observe “the evolution of events” at a time when more and more restrictions are registered in the country.
“I intend to go and see the places in the coming days and weeks, as long as it does not jeopardize health services and the evolution of events,” he expected, stating that he will share, “within ten days to two weeks “, the conclusions of what you observe.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said he has “followed” the evolution of the situation, as this is “always, every year a very difficult time” for emergency services because of the approaching winter, “and this year with three outbreaks at the same time: the classical flu , a new type of virus and the covid-19 virus”.
Faced with the “pressure there is on hospital emergencies” and the increase in “response problems” in many hospitals across the country, the president of the republic said he wanted to go to the field and see what was going on.
The head of state also thanked health workers for their “responsiveness, on top of so much work in recent years, which they have shown at a difficult time”.
Source: DN
