The leader of the PSD, Luís Montenegro, emphasized his commitment to respecting everyone, explaining that this respect extends to his opponents and every citizen of Portugal. “These Portuguese can indeed trust me, I am truly bulletproof, no matter the insinuations,” stated Montenegro, speaking to journalists following the debate between the Socialist Party and the PSD/CDS-PP coalition at the University NOVA SBE in Carcavelos, Lisbon.
The prime minister accused Pedro Nuno Santos of doing “everything” and crossing “many limits” to achieve his personal goals. Conversely, he claimed that he never sought the role of prime minister, but views it as a mission to be accomplished with “all his strength and energy.”
Reflecting on the evening’s debate, Montenegro expressed hope that voters “understood the scope of each party’s stance and proposals, as well as those of their leaders.” He reassured that he is “very focused on giving the Portuguese people the assurance that many of their problems will continue to be resolved.”
Highlighting the current global uncertainties, Montenegro praised the significant efforts made by Portugal to maintain sound public finances, resulting in budget surpluses by the year’s end. “Today, our economy is growing faster than the European Union average,” he remarked, noting governmental policies in security, health, and education.
Responding to questions about the gaming concessions in Portugal, an issue raised during the debate by Pedro Nuno Santos, Montenegro acknowledged that due to the government’s ongoing limitations, “the capacity to make certain decisions has been reduced.” However, he remained optimistic that there is still time to initiate the bidding process and award the licenses.
