The expenditure authorization for the upward revision of the financial compensation owed by the State to the Lusa news agency until 2027 was published today in the Official Gazette, after being approved by the Council of Ministers on June 22.
Under the terms of the Council of Ministers Resolution no. 64/2023, which “reprograms the pluriannual charges and authorizes additional expenditure inherent to the financial compensation by the State to Lusa – Agência de Notícias de Portugal, S. A.”, it was decided to “authorize the expenditure necessary to conclude the amendment to the contract for the provision of news and information service of public interest currently in force”.
Thus, the maximum total amount (plus VAT) of the compensatory allowance to Lusa is increased to 14,262,621 euros in 2023, 14,676,237 euros in 2024, 14,984,438 euros in 2025, 15,284,127 euros in 2026, and 15,589,809 euros in 2027, compared to the 13,564,071 euros per year initially provided for in the service contract signed in January 2022.
According to the resolution of the Council of Ministers, the revision of the compensatory indemnity to be paid by the State to Lusa occurs because “the circumstances underlying the contractualization have changed significantly and unpredictably compared to the moment of contract negotiation that gave rise to that contract.
This “due to the external environment and the consequent increase in prices”, which resulted in a “necessary increase in the operating expenses of Lusa, S. A., including those resulting from the fulfillment of public service obligations in its charge”, and also in order to ensure the company the “necessary margin” to update the workers’ salaries.
The resolution published today in the Diário da República takes effect as of its approval, on June 22, by the Council of Ministers, delegating to the members of the Government responsible for the areas of Finance and Culture “the competence for the practice of all subsequent acts to be performed.
The Lusa workers approved on June 6th a management proposal for 83 euros increases in the base salary, having called off the strikes that were planned for June and August, according to a statement released by the unions representing them.