Tiago Petinga / LUSA
The Prime Minister, Luis Montenegro, in the biweekly debate
Biweekly debate in the Assembly of the Republic marked by the attack on Iran, measures related to bad weather and an incident on the right.
The attack on Iran marked the debate quinzenal in the Assembly of the Republic, held this Wednesday.
The Prime Minister stated that Portugal was not involveddid not follow or subscribe to the North American and Israeli talks in Iran, but highlighted that the country is closer to its ally the United States.
Luis Montenegro assured that the Government “did not follow, did not subscribe to and was not involved” in this military intervention, but highlighted that Portugal is an ally and is closer to the United States.
At this point, the Prime Minister began by pointing out that “the Portuguese State defends the diplomatic way and negotiation to guarantee international peace”.
“Having taken military action from the US, Portugal did not follow, did not subscribe to and was not involved in that military action. This does not mean that it has not been following, from the very beginning, in the context of our relations with our partners in the European Union and NATO – and also in the context of our relations with all partners in the region where this operation was launched”, he stated.
Lajes Base
The PT member commented that the use of the Lajes Base has to be in accordance with “the world that the USA helped to build after the Second World War”.
Montenegro responded that there was a “scrupulous compliance with legal procedures”; the USA requested the use of the base and the Government gave notice to the largest opposition parties, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and António José Seguro.
“I have no information that could justify non-compliance with these conditions” – adding that the Azorean base was used to supply military planes for attacks on military bases.
“Regarding the Lajes base, what stands out from what happened is the following: before the initial US attack on Iran, there was no additional information from Portugalwe monitored all overflights and landings under the planned regime”, said the Government leader.
Paulo Raimundo (PCP) accused the Government of “opening the doors of the Lajes Base wide open to the US war machine”. Fabian Figueiredo, from BE, added that the Portuguese Government is authorizing “war crimes” and being the “intermediary of chaos”.
115 million
The Prime Minister announced that more than 20 thousand applications to support for reconstruction following the storms that hit the country, totaling more than 115 million euros.
Luís Montenegro was responding to the PSD parliamentary leader, Hugo Soares, who assured that, even though current media is now dominated by the war in the Middle East, his bench will not forget this issue.
“I am in a position to tell you that, at this moment, for the reconstruction of permanent housing, 20,571 applications have already been submitted, totaling around 115 million euros”, explained the Prime Minister.
For financial support for households with the greatest economic need, “4,552 requests have already been made”.
“The moratoriums are in progress, both for permanent real estate credit and for business credits. The treasury and business reconstruction credit lines have already received 5,852 applications,” he said.
Lay-off a 100%
The deputies approved, in particular, a proposal from the Left Bloc that ensures that workers covered by the ‘lay-off’ simplified following storms, receive 100% from gross salary up to three times the national minimum wage.
The parliamentary assessment presented by Livre, PCP and BE to the Government decree establishing the simplified ‘lay-off’ regime and other measures to support populations affected by the storms was discussed in the Labor, Social Security and Inclusion Committee.
In this context, amendment proposals were voted to change the diploma that establishes the simplified ‘lay-off’ regime in companies affected by the storms, so that the salaries of workers covered by this regime are paid at 100%, up to three times the minimum wage, as initially announced and not at two thirds as defined in the diploma.
With just the votes against the PSD and the Liberal Initiative (IL)a proposed amendment to the BE was approved which ensures that “the remuneration compensation to which the worker is entitled corresponds to 100% of their normal gross remuneration, being paid by the employer, up to a limit of three times the minimum guaranteed monthly remuneration”, that is, up to 2,760 euros.
The blockers’ text also states that in the first 60 days, the remuneration guaranteed through this scheme is borne by 80% by Social Security and the remaining 20% by the employer, and after that period the division becomes 70%-30%.
A preambular rule was also approved, with only the PSD and IL voting against, to protect any possible increase in expenditure that may exist in the wake of this measure, in order to protect the brake law, a constitutional rule that prevents parliament from approving laws that increase expenditure or decrease budgeted revenue during the current year.
O PSD later admitted to going “until ultimate consequences” if it is considered that the amendment to the decree-law on lay-off violates the law, in an implicit reference to the appeal to the Constitutional Court.
Possible ISP discount
Also in this debate, Prime Minister that the Government could move forward with a extraordinary discount and temporary Tax on Petroleum and Energy Products (ISP) to compensate for a rise in fuel if there is an increase in 10 cents compared to this week’s value.
“Within the guidance given to several members of the Government not to devalue the effects that the conflict [com o Irão] may have on our economic dynamics, we are in a position to say that one of these effects could be an increase in fuel prices”, began by pointing out the executive leader.
In this sense, according to Luís Montenegro, if there is a rise in the price of gasoline and diesel of more than 10 cents in relation to this week’s value, in this scenario, “the Government will introduce an extraordinary and temporary ISP discount to compensate for the additional VAT revenue”.
Incident with Ventura
The fortnightly debate was marked by an incident involving the leader of Chega, who accused the acting president of parliament, Teresa Morais, of unequal treatment, criticism that the social democrat rejected, supported by PSD and PS.
During Prime Minister’s Question Time, Andre Ventura asked to speak at the table with the vice-president of parliament, Teresa Morais, who was leading the work, pointing out that the Chega leader had not yet used up all the time for his intervention and asked her to explain the request.
“That’s what I was trying to do when the president, instead of being a PSD deputy, should be president of the Board. Now I’m talking! But he can’t do it”, criticized the Chega leader.
André Ventura also claimed that it was not up to Teresa Morais to conduct the work – “she shouldn’t even be there”, while they were listening kicked in the room – and that he was doing this because the vice-president and deputy of Chega, Diogo Pacheco de Amorim, “did not want to preside today”.
Teresa Morais warned that the deputy did not make any question to the table, considering the “perfectly unreasonable and unfair” criticism to those who conduct the work – applauded here by all parliamentary groups, except Chega – and defended that the Assembly Board “acts with impartiality and impartiality”.
The vice-president of parliament also stated that none of the vice-presidents need Ventura’s authorization to preside over the proceedings.
“It is not the honorable Member who tells the Bureau and tells me or any other vice-president whether we should or should not be here. It’s not up to you, it’s not your responsibility”, he highlighted.
The social democrat also said that André Ventura “has nothing to hold on to” to make this accusation and considered that “There are simply times when the person seems to think that things are relatively calm” and, therefore, “they need something to turn them inside out” – which led to more outcry, more now from Chega’s bench.
This incident interrupted the question and answer sequence for 15 minutes.
Overall, it was a moment that “it didn’t go well” to André Ventura, summarized commentator José Manuel Fernandes on the radio.
