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The PCP congress, scheduled for November 26, 27 and 28, is a “political right”, which is provided for in the decree of a state of emergency, defends Pedro Siza Vieira. Therefore, the Minister of Economy considers that “the limits” defined by the President of the Republic in the decree – “since we respect the right of Dr. André Ventura to participate in a demonstration last weekend in the context in which we were, “he said in an interview with” Polígrafo SIC “, from SIC Notícias.
It is Pedro Siza Vieira’s way of saying that he does not obstruct the holding of the communist congress, which generates controversy. “The decree of the state of emergency did not impose limitations” on political rights or freedom of expression, he argues.
Just as we respect the right of Dr. André Ventura to participate in a demonstration last weekend in the context in which we were, I also believe that We must respect the limits that the President of the Republic intended to define in the decree of a state of emergency ”.
Asked about the fact that the governor of the Bank of Portugal and former Minister of Finance, Mário Centeno, said that social support must be temporary and that it is necessary to “act on the sidelines” due to the increase in spending and debt, Siza Vieira says: “The governor of the Bank of Portugal made a public reflection, as I heard yesterday from the governor of the European Central Bank.”
But since Mário Centeno is a former Minister of Finance, doesn’t that affect the government’s action? “No, I think it’s reminding all the policy makers. “Siza also considers that” the governor is an independent entity. “
The State Budget is now being discussed in the Assembly of the Republic and, in that context, various opinions are being heard, he says. Mário Centeno’s is “one more”, but it has “the significant weight of being the supervisory authority and that it has the capacity for macroprudential supervision in Portugal.”
The minister also faced the claims of chef Ljubomir Stanisic, who called for the TSU exemption for 2021 and the reduced VAT rate until the end of next year, and who spoke out on Saturday in Lisbon (in fact, he has been an active voice for requiring further restoration measures).
Siza did not commit to the chef’s proposals and responded that there are already measures for the sector. “I’m not saying yes or no. I say that we have been very careful to follow the efforts of this sector ”. Siza points out that there was an increase in unemployment in the area (there are now 23,000 fewer workers than at the beginning of the year, but “the fall occurred mainly until June”).
Regarding Ljubomir’s statements, he said: “You have made many proposals in the past, always in a very eager way. I think it is still active because the responses that the Government has given allowed the sector in an adverse context to try to preserve the essential know-how when it seeks to resume ”.
The minister recalled the non-refundable measure of 750 million euros for non-food businesses, restaurants, accommodation, among others.
The government has 750 million for subsidies to micro and small companies and another 800 million for loans
Pedro Siza Vieira highlighted that “at this moment, we have no idea of general confinement“But there are some municipalities where the level of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days is high. “Eventually there [nos municípios “muito acima” dos 240 casos por 100 mil habitantes] we have to make a more general constriction “and”some additional restrictions”. What are “We are still evaluating”.
Asked if there was a lack of planning in the management of the pandemic, the minister recalled that there are countries such as Germany, France, Italy or the Czech Republic, among others, in which “all non-food trade is ending.” “In all European countries, health services and health units are reaching their limits and governments are deeply holding back economic activity.”
The countries that we know have more resources than us and a tradition of planning are in exactly the same situation as us and have a brake on economic activity much more violent than ours”.
