[ad_1]
The Left Bloc announced last night that it will vote against the State Budget in general.
In that position, the Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs said this morning, The Left Bloc “is no longer part of the solution that, since 2015, has helped to regain the confidence of the country.”
“We regret that despite the availability shown by the Government, (BE) has abandoned the process”, Duarte Cordeiro continued.
According to the Secretary of State, the Government responded to the measures proposed by the Left Bloc, particularly in relation to the National Health Service. “The Government has not failed and will not fail the National Health Service,” Duarte Cordeiro guaranteed. “It does not seem to us, neither by the availability of the Government nor by the investment of the Government in the NHS, that the decision that was taken is justified”.
Regarding the new social benefit, the politician said that the design of the measure “has evolved throughout the negotiations,” with the Government’s desire to “expand the scope of support.” “The Government has not failed and will not fail to provide a social emergency and support to those who need it most during the crisis,” said Duarte Cordeiro.
Regarding labor legislation, “taking into account the positions of the BE, the Government decided to proceed with a document that contains various commitments on labor matters.”said the Secretary of State. “Materials to combat precariousness,” he said. “The government is committed to strengthening the rights of workers during this crisis.”
Regarding Novo Banco, Duarte Cordeiro said that “the Government had no intention of changing the process followed in recent years” but that, taking into account the negotiation process, it decided not to include any public loan to the Resolution Fund. And he added that the PS parliamentary group “agreed to a new audit of Novo Banco by the Court of Accounts.”
“We thus understand that we have complied with the essentials of what was requested in this matter,” said the Secretary of State.
Finally, Duarte Cordeiro attacked BE’s position again. “The Portuguese now need games that can reach compromises even if that doesn’t exactly mean what each game stands for. In 2015 we were together against austerity, nobody understands that at this time nobody is moving away from this solution ”.
The Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs guarantees that “the Government will continue to be committed to this budget process, with dialogue and commitment with the parties, to guarantee a good State Budget that responds to the moment we live in.”
Asked if the Government agrees to continue negotiations with the blockers, seeking that this political force invest its voting power in the specialty phase, until the final global vote on the budget proposal, Duarte Cordeiro replied: “The position of the Left Bloc It is one of those who leave the negotiation process, of those who leave, and we have no more information than what is transmitted ”.
The Bloco de Esquerda, when deciding to vote against it, also decided to side with those who do not want this Budget to be viable. It will not be for the Left Bloc that the answers that are in this State Budget are discussed in the specialty. a decision to be made by the Block itself whether or not it wants to change position and continue the dialogue “, said the Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs.
