[ad_1]
On Saturday, the Prime Minister said that the conditions for an agreement with BE and PCP for the approval of OE2021 were “created”.
“As for the essential, I do not see how there can be no agreement with the BE and the PCP,” insisted António Costa, admitting that there are “some matters” in which there was not yet a “100%” agreement and that They were working”.
“If everyone has the political will, we will surely have a good budget in 2021,” the prime minister stressed, reiterating that “it is surely on the left” where this budget will be built.
António Costa also assured that the State accounts for next year “maintain very clear guidelines to reject any path towards austerity” and the budget will follow a path of “strengthening and improving” the income of families, supporting employment and public investment.
According to the head of government, one of the measures provided for in the budget proposal will be a reduction in the retention rate for all workers in 2021, in order to increase the salary received at the end of the month.
From the income point of view, the proposal will maintain its commitment to reach the end of the current legislature with a minimum income of 750 euros and that, despite the current crisis caused by the covid-19 pandemic, there will be a increase in the national minimum wage.
On the other hand, the lower pensions will have an “extraordinary increase”, although this automatic annual update is not expected, in the absence of economic growth and inflation.
António Costa also referred to the creation of an “extraordinary social benefit”, to ensure that people in highly precarious situations, with informal jobs, have an income that is not below the poverty line (502 euros).
The calculation of the unemployment benefit will also be modified to guarantee a contributory benefit that does not have “unfavorable treatment”.
Also on Saturday, the BE coordinator, Catarina Martins, said that the party had already responded to the latest documents received from the Government in the scope of the OE2021 negotiation, adding that the “impasse issues” remain, but also the “availability to negotiate”. “.
That same day, the general secretary of the PCP, Jerónimo de Sousa, stressed that he will not accept a political crisis blackmail to vote in favor of the State Budget, claiming that the document has to solve the problems of the people.
