Manuel Fernando Araújo / Lusa
Luís Montenegro
Controversy with moderating rates shook measures announced by Luís Montenegro. They made Marta feared “shudder” and government had to clarify.
The Secretary of State for Civil Protection, Rui Rocha, announced the speeding of the payment of 50 thousand euros to the affected municipal firefighters by forest fires for facing “extraordinary” expenses.
“In some operations theaters, the expenses are very high, very significant for the budgets of humanitarian associations. We have a set of speeding mechanisms to quickly reimburse all expenses that, in some cases, are very significant,” he said at the end of a meeting in Ponte da Barca.
The meeting, the first of a “ride” that Rui Rocha will do for the municipalities beaten by the fires, served for Rui Rocha to inform the municipality, the firefighters, the GNR and other entities in the municipality of Ponte da Barca, in the district of Viana do Castelo, that the government decided to “streamline the advance, up to the amount of 50 thousand euros”, without the proof of expenses.
Rui Rocha said that “most importantly, at this time, it is to ensure the managing managing the humanitarian associations of voluntary firefighters, extending the obligation to deliver the proof of expenses up to 30 days and, in some cases, by the end of the year”.
“The government will not be a problem, it will be part of the solution and, therefore, we currently have the speeding of processes and quick payments,” said Rui Rocha, who has needed to answer more questions from journalists.
The gaffe of the moderating rates
This Friday, Luís Montenegro went to the country to announce 45 immediate measures to face the fires. One of them was the Moderate rate exemption In the areas affected by the fires – a measure that made the socialist Marta feared “shudder.”
This is because since 2022, no longer exists Charging fees at health centers, consultations or exams prescribed within the National Health Service (NHS), as the former health minister and the current MEP of the PS recalled.
The government was, after the intervention of feared, forced to clarify as you presented. This morning, an official statement has corrected the initial formulation, establishing that the decree in question provides for the “reinforcement of health care, with exemption from moderating rates in the emergency For Uncreased Patients and free dismissal of medicines by the health units of the NHS ”, according to the quote from the government statement.
Base legislation on this matter dates back to May 2022, when, under the tutelage of Marta feared, a diploma was approved that eliminated the collection of moderating fees in consultations, examinations and urgent care with the reference of the NHS or in situations that result in hospitalization. Already in 2020, another decree-law had advanced in the same direction, exempting rates in medical acts prescribed in primary health care.
Currently, users do not pay consultations at health centers or exams prescribed by doctors. The only exception remains in hospital emergencies without reference, which are still subject to the moderating rate. With the new measure, the government aims to temporarily suspend this charge for the populations affected by the fires, ensuring greater access to health care in emergency contexts.
Simplified lay-off to pay salaries
The government has announced a set of exceptional measures to support companies affected by fires that have devastated various regions of the country since July, already responsible for three deaths and the destruction of housing, agricultural explorations and vast forest areas.
Among the initiatives are the Return of the simplified lay-off and the creation of an iExtraordinary NTE to maintain employmentreplicating the model applied in 2024.
The simplified lay-off regime will allow companies in business crisis due to fires, reduce schedules or suspend work contracts more agile, without the need for prior written communication or negotiation with workers. In this framework, employees will be entitled to at least two thirds of gross salary or the amount corresponding to the national minimum wage for a full time employment (870 euros), depending on the highest amount, according to the.
If the time is only reduced, the employer will have to ensure proportional maturity, complemented by a 30% compensation by the company and 70% by social security, ensuring the minimum established. In cases of total suspension of the contract, the payment of two thirds of the salary is also maintained, with the same office of responsibilities.
Portugal activated the European Civil Protection mechanism, which has two Fire Boss aircraft and a Super Puma helicopter, and two more Canadair planes are expected to arrive today. According to provisional official data, until 22 August burned about 234,000 hectares in the country, more than 53,000 of which in the fire that began in Arganil.
O Socialist party will advance with a request for an independent technical committee in order to identify the causes of “operational failure” in this year’s fires. Montenegro did the same, in 2017, the year of the tragedy in Pedrógão Grande.
