The Assembly of the Republic today rejected in general terms the legislative proposals by Chega, PCP, and BE to recognize firefighting as a fast-wearing profession but approved other measures to enhance firefighters’ rights and benefits.
The bills by PCP and BE, aiming to acknowledge firefighting as a fast-wearing profession, were rejected with votes against by PSD, IL, and CDS-PP, abstention by PS, and votes in favor by Chega, Livre, PCP, BE, PAN, and JPP.
In the case of Chega’s proposals on the same subject, PS, Livre, and PCP abstained.
In the previous legislature, a similar bill presented by the PCP was approved in general in the Assembly of the Republic, but the legislative process was not completed due to the government’s collapse and subsequent dissolution of parliament.
During this voting session, following a debate requested by Chega with proposals to combat wildfires and enhance firefighting, a project by the PCP to reinforce firefighters’ rights and benefits was approved with affirmative votes from Chega, PS, Livre, PCP, BE, PAN, and JPP, opposed by PSD, IL, and CDS-PP.
The initiative proposes the expansion of firefighters’ rights, including financial support for students, exemption from judicial expenses, or assistance in accessing homes for professionals with at least 15 years of service, as well as for their spouses and first-degree ascendants.
A resolution by CDS-PP was also approved, recommending the government establish a task force for the structural reorganization of the operational firefighting sector.
Another resolution calls on the government to simplify and reorganize forest defense against fires within the state reform framework.
In contrast, all of Chega’s debated bills were rejected, specifically those seeking to prohibit the commercial sale of burnt wood post-fire, implement measures to protect forest stands, or increase penalties for arsonists by equating them to terrorists.
A bill by PAN making it mandatory for those convicted of forest arson to wear electronic bracelets was also rejected.
In the debate preceding this vote, the PS expressed readiness to support legislation enhancing firefighters’ value, while the PSD opposed “isolated measures,” claiming they would not “solve the underlying issue.”
