José Luís Carneiro, meeting today with the president of the European Anti-Poverty Network in Porto, was questioned by journalists about Luís Montenegro’s statements. In an interview with Antena 1, Montenegro urged the PS to show “democratic humility in this new political era” and praised Chega.
The socialist leader responded by expressing regret that in their presentation of the State of the Nation, the focus on poverty was not a political priority for the Government.
“What concerned me,” he said, “was why I decided to meet with the European Anti-Poverty Network in Porto.”
The Prime Minister “must focus on responding to people’s needs. Focus on housing concerns, provide an adequate health response, consider economic indicators, and address poverty and inequality indicators, which is no small task,” he asserted.
Despite journalists’ persistence, José Luís Carneiro insisted that “no more distractions for public opinion are necessary,” emphasizing that the Socialist Party “is where it has always been.”
“We are a party with great responsibility for the life of our country, for its economic development, for its social development,” he maintained.
On Sunday, “I was with businessmen in Guimarães who contribute to the country’s wealth. We need to make our economy grow, and I am concerned about the Government’s inability to respond, particularly to the tariffs being adopted by the United States of America,” he remarked.
“So far, it is unknown what proposals exist to support our entrepreneurs,” he continued, expressing concern about economic growth and the creation of wealth in the country, while also stressing that this wealth should help overcome inequalities.
The president of the European Anti-Poverty Network, Father Jardim Moreira, expressed to journalists his disappointment that “this issue” of poverty in Portugal is “less active on the political table.” He argued that the Portuguese should be treated “with the respect and dignity to which they are entitled.”
“We believe that, at this moment, it is important for poverty to be assumed by all ministries, as it is a problem for the country and the Government. We hope that municipalities, in the context of transferring competencies from central to local authorities, will indeed address the needs of families facing disintegration, dehumanization, or social exclusion,” he stated.
Jardim Moreira further argued that companies also have “a fundamental role, at this moment, in developing a training and inclusion project for people who are unemployed or homeless.”
