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The leader of the PSD, Rui Rio, warned this Monday of the “tremendous risk” of corruption “in the application of the” bazooka “of European Union funds in Portugal. To” mitigate “, he suggested” an observatory, a criminal law “. aggravated” or “a special department of the Attorney General’s Office (PGR).” Regarding the State Budget for 2021, he stressed that the Government “will bet on a logic of more State” and the PSD “of more companies and more private economy.”
The Social Democratic president, who intervened in the presentation of the strategic program of European funds for a decade, in Porto, defended a “competent and honest application” of the community support decided in a context of crisis caused by the covid-19 pandemic.
“When we have a lot of money to spend in a very short time, we are assuming a tremendous risk in terms of corruption,” said Rui Rio, considering that “we have to find ways” to “mitigate and stop” this same corrupt practice, once “To avoid it altogether would be the first time in history.”
The PSD leader listed some possible measures to “mitigate” corruption in the application of funds, such as “an observatory for this purpose, an aggravated criminal law, a special department of the PGR”, saying that he does not know “if it is all this at the same time or something better “not” comes to mind “. The truth is that “we must have this strategy,” insisted Rui Rio.
It is recalled that the Court of Accounts (TdC) ruled last week on the Government’s intention to change the public procurement code, in order to speed up the approval of projects and accelerate the execution of funds, warning of increased risks of “collusion”, “distortion of competition”, “cartelization” and “corruption in public procurement”.
This Monday, Rui Rio also demanded a “competent” application when “the younger generations” are paying for that “bazooka” of European funds. That is why he also says that a short-term application is necessary, “but most of it must be applied with a long-term vision.” And he highlighted, in this context, the focus on climate change.
The government wants state private economy and PSD
As for the State Budgets for 2021, he pointed out a difference “of absolute certainty” with respect to the Government. This “will bet on a logic of more State and we on a logic of more companies and more private economy.”
Rio also said that it appears to be outside of “government and gimmick” concerns to strengthen the middle class. “We have a very low average wage and a small middle class,” warned the PSD leader. In his opinion, it is necessary to “bring” the most disadvantaged “to the middle class”.
Public debt at 80% and tax burden at 32%
In the strategic document presented by the president of the National Strategic Council, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, the PSD proposes “increasing exports to 50% of GDP by 2023 and 60% of GDP by 2030”; “improve the external balance, balancing the external accounts from 2022”; and “reduce public debt to values close to 80% of GDP by the end of the decade.” At the same time, Rui Rio’s party wants to “increase public and private investment to a total of 20% of GDP by 2023 and 25% of GDP by 2030.”
The tax burden, according to the PSD, would be reduced “from 35% of GDP in 2019 to 32% of GDP in 2030”, and the “maximum marginal rate of corporate income tax from 31.5% in 2020 unless 25% in 2030 “.
The document also provides, “as of 2022, and due to budgetary restrictions, to bet on reducing the tax burden on the IRS for middle class families, by reducing the rates applicable to the income of small and medium savings “.
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