José Sena Goulão / Lusa
About 5% of GDP expenses in defense, António José Seguro suspects “always much” from races for these areas with a lot of money.
The candidate for the Presidency of the Republic António José Seguro He assumed this Saturday that he was “with satisfaction” that he received the decision of former European commissioner António Vitorino from next year’s presidential elections.
“I received with satisfaction the decision of Dr. António Vitorinobecause it comes to contribute to the unity From the space of democracy and the space of this project, which is a project of progress, humanism and affirmation of human values, ”said António José Seguro to journalists in Guimarães, Braga district, after a meeting with dozens of young people in a city garden.
Without Vitorino in the race to presidential, and with the former President of the Assembly of the Republic Augusto Santos Silva in reflection on whether he is a candidate, António José Seguro was asked if the open path is so that the Socialist Party publicly expresses him publicly.
“This is a Superpartisan candidacy. And therefore, all who want to come and who come for good, identified with democracy and the values of progress, of course they are welcome. The rest is the parties that have to make their decisions, ”replied António José Seguro, adding to feel good in his position.
“I feel very well as I am, I feel more and more my ideas to have echo, even now with these young people here in Guimarães, I feel very happy, there is adhesion, there is an energy and, therefore, my responsibility is to affirm the values of this candidacy, its purpose: to build a fair country and a country of excellence,” said the presidential candidate.
Also questioned about the statements of , Which considers that it does not gather consensus within the PS and that it does not fulfill the necessary conditions for the position of President of the Republic, insurance answered: “Don’t tell me I wanted a president to be elected 100% unanimously. This in democracy does not exist. ”
Questioned if it does not fear that an eventual candidacy of Augusto Santos Silva may come to to divide The left center electorate and thus put into question a possible victory of yours, António José Seguro opted to Do not answer.
“We were here an hour and a half talking about the future of Portugal with young people. Talking about their problems, their yearnings, and above all, also their dreams. It was gratifying to see this and I will not destroy this beautiful meeting making any more comments,” said Seguro, who also declined to comment on the double reflection of Augusto Santos Silva.
Defense: Prudence
António José Seguro advised this Saturday “Prudence” 5% Gross Domestic Product (Start) assumed by Portugal in NATO for spending on Defense, stressing that “the country also has other needs.”
“I advised prudence. First it is necessary to see if we, with the same level of expense, we can do what we propose in the NATO or the European Union and then move on to the next situation, which is spending more, ”said António José Seguro to journalists in Guimarães, district of Braga, after a meeting with a few dozen youth in a city garden.
On Wednesday, in The Hague (Netherlands), the 32 NATO countries (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) an increase in the investment of 5% of GDP in the defense area by 2035, with a review of the objectives in 2029.
“It is essential that before you spend more, you spend better. And above all, [que] This is done within the European Union and creating autonomy, namely at the technological and strategic level in the European Union itself. We need a good European scientific system, with benefits in the areas of defense and security, but also with benefits in the areas of economics, health or the environment, ”said António José Seguro.
According to the presidential candidate, “the level of spending has to be in line with the resources and needs” of the country.
“The country has not only needs in the areas of defense and security. It also has needs in the areas of housing, health, economy, there must be a balance here. I I always suspect a lot When you run from time to moment to these areas of defense and with a very high volume of resources and money. Five percent of our GDP is a lot of money, ”he said.
On Thursday, at the end of the NATO summit, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro pledged to reach 2% of GDP in defense By the end of this year – Which, according to government accounts, will require an investment reinforcement of about one billion euros.
In addition to this goal, NATO summit agreed that allies should invest 5% of GDP in defense -related expenses, of which 3.5% in traditional military spending (Armed Forces, Equipment and Training) and 1.5% additional investments such as infrastructure and industry by 2035, with an interchangeary review by 2029.
The next day, the European Union leaders, gathered in Brussels, pledged to properly finance the increase in defense spending, coordinating such investment to make it “better together”, given the new goal of NATO agreed the day before.
