During a meeting with the Permanent Council of the Council of Portuguese Communities at the parliament, António José Seguro addressed journalists regarding the current health situation and recent controversies involving the closure of emergency services and patient referrals.
“A few months ago, during a public intervention, I highlighted that we should make a regime agreement between all political parties, the Government, and the Presidency of the Republic to save the National Health Service,” he stated.
For Seguro, a candidate for the presidential race next year, “it is unacceptable that there are so many closed emergencies.” Seguro expressed hope “that this summer will not be worse than last year’s.”
He urged “all political parties to put their proposals on the table and create more viability for the National Health Service.”
“So that the Portuguese can have consultations on time, so that the Portuguese can have their surgeries on time, and so that there are no closed emergencies on weekends,” he emphasized.
Regarding whether the Health Minister should face political consequences, the former PS leader declined to comment.
Concerning the Government’s proposals to amend immigration and nationality laws, which were debated in parliament last week, Seguro noted that the legislation was sent to the committee stage without a vote and reserved his position for “when there is a final text.”
“This is the time for the parties. The parties should express themselves. I am a candidate for President of the Republic, so I must wait for my time. And my time is to look at the final proposals,” he replied, responding to journalists’ persistence.
The ex-Socialist leader believes that a presidential candidate must respect the space of Parliament and political parties, which he considers currently unfolding.
The Government’s initiatives to amend nationality and immigration legislation were moved to the specialty phase on Friday without a general vote, alongside legislative proposals from Chega on the same issues.
The Government requested an attempt to secure consensus with opposition parties.
