
“We are currently promoting legislative changes that will enable these military personnel to have the same opportunities in the future as the ones already serving here. Because they are all military, all military in the eyes of the law, and all must have state support,” stated Nuno Melo, speaking at the Social Support Center of the Armed Forces Social Action Institute (IASFA) in Lisbon.
The centrist official presided over the symbolic ceremony of handing over keys to tenants from the competition for 166 economical rental houses by IASFA, which was also attended by the Secretary of State for National Defense, Álvaro Castello-Branco.
The XXV Constitutional Government’s program, led by PSD/CDS-PP, aims to increase the compensations to IASFA resulting from support to disabled military personnel and “the inclusion of contract regime military as beneficiaries of Complementary Social Action.”
The minister expects this legislative change to be made “in the short term,” allowing these military personnel to apply for housing competitions like those awarded today.
Nuno Melo emphasized during his speech that the housing in question is spread across the country, with some requiring renovations, but offers lower rents than the market, allowing military personnel and their families to relocate closer to the military institutions where they are stationed.
“Housing is very costly, and whenever we, the Armed Forces’ authority, can create mechanisms to help ensure housing options, whether through IASFA or otherwise, we are fulfilling our role,” defended Nuno Melo, who highlighted the impact of these measures on the recruitment and retention of military personnel.
The official stated that this is “the largest competition launched in many years, which shows that IASFA is not what it used to be some time ago.”
“This initiative also helps, particularly in public opinion, to reinforce IASFA’s purpose, as this helps mobilize the community and inform them about what is being done. In the civilian world, there is a lack of understanding about what revolves around the universe of the Armed Forces and the importance of institutions like this, and how they change so many people’s lives,” he praised.
IASFA is a public institute integrated into the indirect state administration, with administrative and financial autonomy and its own assets.
Its mission is to guarantee and promote the Complementary Social Action (ASC) of its beneficiaries and manage the health assistance system for the Armed Forces military personnel (ADM).