The president of the republic on Friday said that people are worried about their day-to-day problems and about the “management of public affairs”, warning that there are “cases” that when “money badly spent” is involved, ‘cases’.
Speaking to journalists in Peso da Régua, in the district of Vila Real, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stated that “the Portuguese have daily worries and they are real”, referring to the “cost of living”, “money not enough” or problems with health, education or housing.
And he underlined: “then it is clear that the Portuguese are very sensitive in the management of public affairs. I mean, they pay taxes – for what they have, they pay a lot, especially a lot of those who have less – and what is a the fact is that they are therefore attentive to the spending of the money”.
For the head of state, the “political matters” that “affect the population the most” are “concrete matters”: “Is this well spent or badly spent?” Are the funds coming from Brussels spent on time or not? It is visible, is it not visible?'”.
Marcelo, on the other hand, referred that there is another political part, “which is more of a political debate”, which is “more passionate about those who live in big cities, in big metropolises, or who are more involved in political life” and who ” comes less to people’s concerns”.
“The doctrine is this: neither eight nor 80. You cannot say, as is sometimes said, ‘well, the political media bubble is on one wave and the people are on the other’. (…) So it is it’s not “There are things that affect people. Now it is also not true that everything that is important to the political media bubble (…) is so important to the people,” he said.
For the President of the Republic, it is in this “middle ground” that perhaps lies what is the convergence between what emerges in everyday life from a permanent political debate and what, from this debate, is of interest to the people at crucial moments.”
The head of state took the opportunity to point out that he is 74 years old and has already “toppled Salazarism, toppled Marcelism, toppled several governments”, as well as presidents and prime ministers.
“I saw it from both sides: I saw it had political responsibilities and I saw it on the radio, on television, in the newspapers, commenting. That’s why I know what it’s like to be on the side of the commentators and on the side of the side of the commented,” he said.
The president of the republic emphasized that he is not annoyed when commentators say about him what he said in his days as a commentator, and even think it is “reasonable for them to say it”.
“But I know how to put everything into perspective: not everything is the judgment of those who observe, from the outside. (…) Comments have no importance at all. That’s why they’re there, they’re in a world apart,” concludes he.
Source: DN
