“No study has been carried out, the League was not consulted, and we were surprised by these cuts,” said LBP President António Nunes, highlighting his lack of knowledge about how the government arrived at the 12 million euro reduction for non-urgent patient transport in 2026.
The 2026 State Budget proposal, delivered to parliament on Thursday, states that “recent years have seen a significant increase in spending on non-urgent patient transport,” which rose by about 119% from 97.1 million euros in 2014 to 212.4 million euros in 2024.
To curb this spending, the government projects reductions of 12 million euros in 2026, 34.8 million euros in 2027, and 46 million euros in 2028, based on current reference values.
The LBP president argued that a study should be conducted before making cuts, criticizing the “insensitivity and poor management demonstrated by health structures serving Portuguese citizens in need of this free support.”
António Nunes stressed the system’s need for “deep revision and an organization completely different from what currently exists.”
The official reminded that the LBP has long warned the government about the urgent need to fundamentally change the philosophy and practices associated with patient transport, arguing that it is important to assess how well money is spent and whether market rules are respected, without unexplained advantages or disruptions.
“The announced cuts won’t solve the problem unless the government first conducts a serious study to understand how the money is actually spent,” he added, predicting that many fire brigades might cease providing non-urgent patient transport.
The LBP also opposes the State Budget’s funding allocation for volunteer fire brigades, estimated at around 37 million euros in 2026, an increase of 2.2 million euros from this year.
The league advocated for 49.38 million euros as the minimum amount to be transferred next year to volunteer firefighters, based on risk criteria and the activity of each brigade.
António Nunes also mentioned that the LBP’s national council will meet on the 18th to discuss “extremely complex” issues, considering the current dissatisfaction and the emergence of informal movements among volunteer firefighters, who have already held a demonstration near the parliament and are planning further protests.
The president of the League indicated that the national council will decide on the protests’ organization and the type of contestations to be undertaken.
