Portugal is under transformation with confidence

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro claimed that "this Government’s brand" is to "meet its promises" and "carry out the change the citizens wanted" "to make a safe change" and [make a] "difference in the lives of the people, each woman and each man who sees in these decisions some of their problems solved to have a better life".

During his speech to open the discussion on the State of the Nation, the Prime Minister said that "106 days after the Government took office and 96 days after being accepted in Parliament, this discussion on the State of the Nation will allow us to draw four conclusions".

Under transformation

"The first is that the Nation is under transformation, the second is that the Nation lives with confidence, the third is that the Nation is executing and will continue to execute a programme of change, the fourth is that the Nation has a lot of confusion in the opposition", he added.

Luís Montenegro illustrated that "the first conclusion is that the Nation is under transformation", noting all the areas where the Government has taken decisions. 

This is a "strategic, structural, ambitious, and doable transformation, a peaceful one based on the decision made by the Portuguese people, the politics supported by the Portuguese people and the execution of a Government Programme the Portuguese people do not wish to interrupt", he said.

With confidence

Today, the Nation lives with confidence, confidence in the institutions, in the responsibility, in the word given", noting the commitments undertaken in the elections, the Government inauguration and to the representatives of the people in Parliament.

In Parliament, "I took on 9 commitments for the first moments in Government", he said, listing them and for each one, underlining: "word given, word kept". They were the following: 

• The draft bill to lower income tax, especially for the middle classes, with the opposition rejected 

• Having the State pay suppliers up to a maximum delay of 30 days by the end of the term in office

• Accelerate the execution of European funds, releasing what was held up, asking for a new payment and increasing supervision and transparency:

• Conversations with teachers, law enforcement, prison guards, bailiffs, and healthcare professionals, with many agreements underwritten already

• New bases for increasing income, productivity, and competitiveness in the Social dialogue, which is under way

• Adopting the anticorruption agenda through political dialogue with the parliamentary groups, which has been concluded

• Ninth grade exams on paper to guarantee equal opportunities for all students – the exams have been sat

• New housing strategy, revoking forced letting and fostering municipal property tax and stamp duty for youths who buy their first home

• Revoking unfair decisions in local accommodation (Airbnb),  allowing families who invested their savings to get their return.

Responsibility

The Prime Minister also spoke about the Government’s action political circumstances, whose programme was approved by Parliament 96 days ago, enabling it to start its duties, claiming that "not rejecting the Government Programme does not mean accepting its contents, but it is an act that brings political consequences along with it".

"It’s one thing to be the opposition, to criticise and oversee the Government, present alternatives", he said, underlining that "it’s quite another to govern in Parliament against the programme that was accepted by Parliament. This is inadmissible, unloyal, it is not serious political activity".

Luís Montenegro also said that "until the day the MPs decide to approve a censure motion on the Government, if they ever do, the opposition parties, in addition to performing their political work [to criticise and oversee the Government], have the duty of being loyal to the Portuguese and let us govern, rather than wanting to govern with irresponsible and opportunistic arrangements in Parliament".

Stating the Government’s openness towards dialogue and negotiation with the opposition parties, however, "there is no alternative programme if the MPs do not have the courage to generate a majority that would enable it in Parliament".