Filipe Amorim / Lusa
The PS leader refused to comment on the former prime minister’s recent criticism of the AD Government, which he accused of having “no desire or reformist impetus”, and rejected that Passos Coelho is making more opposition than the PS, guaranteeing that his party is a “stability factor”.
“I’m not going to comment on the internal life of the other parties, but, as Luís Montenegro himself said, It’s a little picturesque what is happening in the AD”, with the former prime minister, Pedo Passo Coelho, “saying that, in fact, the AD does not have the will or reformist impetus to do what the country needs”, he declared José Luís Carneiro to journalists, at the entrance to a session with representatives of civil society and Guard activists.
The socialist leader referred to reforms “na shealth, labor issues, with regard to the competitiveness of our economy, the job creationwith the payment of better salaries and with fiscal policy”.
On Tuesday, Passos Coelho “set a serious precedent” the direct passage of Luis Neves from national director of the PJ to Minister of Internal Administration, comparing it to Mário Centeno’s departure from the Government for the Bank of Portugal.
In reaction, the PSD parliamentary leader, Hugo Soares, highlighted that he says that placing Luís Neves as minister was a “highly praised choicepractically unanimously”, and that .
Asked if Passos Coelho has been more opposed to the Government than the socialists, José Luís Carneiro responded that “PS is a stability factor and wants to contribute to his country.”
“I have always stated that we would be a firm oppositionbut, at the same time, constructive. Whenever we formulate a criticism, we present alternative proposals. That’s what I did, a few days ago, when I presented proposals to protect families, workers, companies and municipalities” following the storms.
The PS general secretary added that the party has “this sense of commitment to the interest of the country which will allow us to be able to build a relationship of trust that, in the future, will lead us to exercise government functions again.”
“The people you can trust usbecause we are not a factor in crisis or instability. but of course, if one day these questions arise, we will be prepared for all responsibilities”, he guaranteed.
In Guarda, José Luís Carneiro came to present, among other proposals for his strategy motion, the territorial development contractswhich he considered “the instrument to respond to the country’s need for economic, social and territorial cohesion”.
“They will mobilize to the territory be it economic policy, fiscal policy, European funds, or national funds, providing and guaranteeing better living conditions, work, decent wages and economic and social cohesion”, he said.
José Luís Carneiro also addressed the theme of regionalization to reiterate that it intends to evaluate the decentralization and deconcentration of powers in the Regional Coordination and Development Commissions.
It will then move forward with the proposal to hold a referendum to “ask the Portuguese whether they want the functions of the Coordination Committees to be appointed by the Government or to be a popular choice, an electoral choice”.
The socialist leader guaranteed that the PS is prepared to “defend” these proposals, but assumed that the issue has “a time to mature and a political time”.
“I know that the Prime Minister is unfavorable to regionalizationbut there are ministers who are in favor. For example, the Minister of Cohesion, Castro Almeidahas always been a regionalist and, therefore, I hope that in the future we can count on the wishes of those who have always defended regionalization”, observed the PT member.
