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“The State of Emergency does not immediately apply these measures, it opens the possibility that we can apply them,” says António Costa when announcing that the Government will speak in the next few hours with the mayors of the 121 municipalities in a more complex situation, in the Minister council. this Saturday, decide the measures to apply in each region.
The day on which the fourth declaration of a state of emergency will be voted – with approval guaranteed by PS, PSD, CDS and PAN – and before a statement, around 8 pm, from Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa to the country, António Costa granted a interview. to Antena 1. While acknowledging that there was a delay in the preparation of the response to the second wave, the President of the Government says of his “reinforced” confidence in Marta Temido as well as in the quality of the State Budgets to face the consequent crisis of covid-19, but without ruling out the possibility of modification. Less clear position, only when the interview reaches the presidential election next year. “The great priority of the PS must be the governability,” he said, before confirming that he did not speak with Ana Gomes after his announcement of presidential candidacy.
With the arrival of Christmas, the prime minister says that it is impossible to predict what limitations there will be, but he is convinced that the Portuguese are already mentalized so that the celebrations have to be different. “My family is not very large and we have already organized ourselves differently.”
“We are all very uncomfortable. Does anyone feel comfortable in a mask? We have to avoid total confinement, but what we have been trying to do is model the response to the evolution of the pandemic,” says the prime minister, avoiding predicting the duration of the state of emergency. “Legal certainty”, he says, is the main advantage of a state of emergency which, he guarantees, “does not oblige the application of all measures.” “At the limit, it lasts until the end of the pandemic, but that does not mean that the measures are always applied,” he says.
“The pressure on social media is enormous”
“The private sector was never prevented from working, but more than the cancellation of services, there was a general fear that people would approach the hospitals,” recalled António Costa, arguing that now is the time to recover. “There is no fear of making any contracts. There are several agreements that have been made and here there has never been a question of money,” he defended, before recalling that it will cost a value close to the total of the “famous European bazooka of 13,000 millions of euros”. applied in the health sector.
Regarding the criticisms of Marta Temido, Minister of Health, to the private sector, Costa defended that the responsible tutor “knows the sector better”, but recalled that it is “the people who do not want to go to the private sector to treat COVID.” Asked about the delay in planning the response to the second wave, Costa assumed the failures, but recalled that the scenario is repeated throughout Europe. “There were here, like in France, Spain, Holland, everywhere. Everybody thought that the second wave would arrive in the transition from autumn to winter and it arrived at the end of the summer ”, assumed the prime minister.
“No health minister has faced a situation as serious as the current one,” said the prime minister, reaffirming his “reinforced” political confidence in Marta Temido. Regarding Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s criticism of communication errors, Costa rejected the touch. “I did not feel it as a criticism, only as a reality check. Today the message is more complicated to convey. We are not saying it is to close everything,” he said.
Also in relation to the investigations, reported by the magazine “Sábado”, Siza Vieira and João Galamba, respectively, Minister of State and Economy and Secretary of State for Energy, for allegedly favoring a consortium in the hydrogen business, Costa also left in defence. Executive members, saying they are “absolutely rested.” “I know that there is a statement from the PGR that says that there is an investigation, but that there are no suspects, and I know that the minister has filed a criminal complaint against a libelous complaint. The Portuguese can rest easy, no one is above the law” .
European support arrives early 2021
“In the coming weeks there will be an agreement on the total amount of the Budget. I believe that at the beginning of the year the funds will be available,” said the Prime Minister on the announced European support to face the pandemic. Regarding the State Budget, António Costa says that he awaits its approval also in the specialty, confirming the willingness to continue negotiations with the PCP. Even regarding the greater political distancing of the Left Bloc in the negotiations, the Prime Minister recalled: “We do not have a closed door.” But do you get your support back? “You have to ask BE. I do not understand the objective reasons for the decision you made. There will be political and subjective reasons, we will continue working.”
And do you fear political instability or snap elections in case an amended EO is needed? Costa does not exclude the possibility: “If everything goes as we forecast, the year 2021 will already be an economic recovery. If an amendment is needed, it will be. We will not be able to haggle the response to the pandemic. The EO is for the whole year and gives an answer strong in health and employment, but of course if the situation worsens it may be necessary. What the minister said was that this scenario cannot be excluded “.
And about the risk of early elections, the prime minister was clear: “It would be bad for the country.” “I am here to rule during the pandemic and I will be here to recover from the pandemic. Are you pushing the stone again? Yes, but whoever pushed it once is pushing it again.” And aren’t you worried about the drop in polls? “The last thing I’ll let myself be conditioned on is popularity. For the polls, I look very small. I look at how the pandemic is going.”
“Governance must be a priority”
This Saturday, in addition to the Council of Ministers, the PS brings together its Political Commission to define the position in the presidential elections. António Costa refused to anticipate the party’s position, but went on to say that “the PS’s main priority must be to focus on governance.” “I will not be anticipating the position that will be taken. Over the years we have already taken different positions. The decision will be made tomorrow,” said António Costa, confirming that he has not spoken with Ana Gomes, a socialist activist, since his announcement of candidacy to Bethlehem.
