“We had the opportunity to express to the Government, considering the State Budget is a tool that reflects the Government’s political choices, our opposition to those choices,” stated Paula Santos to journalists at the Assembly of the Republic, after meeting with various members of the executive.
According to the communist deputy, the Government’s strategy embodied in the State Budget options “does not solve the country’s problems,” prompting the PCP’s opposition.
“In fact, the political choices even contribute to worsening the country’s situation. The example of the IRC, I believe, is very significant,” she asserted.
Paula Santos considered that the budget proposal—set to be presented to parliament on October 10 with its main lines already being outlined to the parties—will result in the “dismantling of public services, disinvestment in the State’s social functions, maintaining low wage and pension policies,” privatizations, “transfer of public resources to economic groups” and “deepening of fiscal injustice.”
According to the deputy, the PCP expressed to the Government the necessity for greater public investment in sectors such as health, housing, education, wages, and pensions.
Paula Santos criticized the “convergence of PSD, CDS, Iniciativa Liberal, Chega, and also with the endorsement of the Socialist Party,” advocating for a “break” with this policy.
When asked about the fact that the Budget is scheduled for delivery on October 10, two days before municipal elections, Paula Santos argued that what is foreseen should be adhered to.
Regarding the Chega president’s call for its early delivery, Paula Santos accused André Ventura of being solely concerned with form and not content.
“Chega talks about deadlines but does not talk about content, and it does not talk about content because it doesn’t care, because it agrees with these options that are detrimental to our people and our country,” she accused.
