Costa’s criticism marks messages from the Queima das Fitas de Coimbra procession.

The vast majority of the 90 buses that march this Tuesday in the Queima das Fitas de Coimbra procession have chosen political messages that, despite the fact that it is a public holiday, “you can’t just talk about flowers.”

António Costa’s puppet was ahead of the many floats that set off this Tuesday from Alta de Coimbra, with the prime minister in all sorts of preparations, whether playing the flute to “charm” Ze Povinho, walking with a donkey on a leash or in hand. hand with Infrastructure Minister Joao Galamba on top of the tomb where Alexandra Reis and Christine Urmier-Widener were “buried”.

Unlike in years past, when the parade narrative was dominated by sexual messages, phallic imagery, and prose puns, this year, the sides of most cars decked out in course or college colors featured messages about a lack of working conditions and wages in the near future. housing crisis or the prospect of emigration as a solution to the problem of employment.

“Our course has a tough degree, we invest so much in our training, and then the job market offers us low remuneration. It’s frustrating,” Tomas Neves, a 20-year-old accountant, told Lusa. and audit at the Higher Institute of Accounting and Management of Coimbra.

Mariana and Margarida, 5th year medical students, ride in a car called “Indestino del Gado” due to the lack of future prospects and the fact that new doctors are treated like “cattle”.

“The prospect of the future is not very bright, so we are trying to criticize, whether it is vacancies, job prospects, the method of teaching or the opening of private courses,” he told 23-year-old Luce Margarida.

For two young women who are nearing graduation, the future prospect is to become “undifferentiated doctors or emigrate.”

“We need to talk about what is wrong. It’s a day of celebration, but let’s not just talk about flowers. [que adornam e decoram os carros com as cores dos cursos]. We need to talk about problems,” said 22-year-old Maryana.

“Oh, Costa, why don’t we raise the average wage? Oh Marcelo, look at the sky, which is so beautiful”, “We study like desperate people, work like donkeys, and we are paid like slaves”, “Tantumefaz”. [referência ao elixir Tantum] final destination, any better than Portugal”, “Costa makes millions, nurses count pennies” were some of the phrases that could be read in cars passing through streets full of students, family members and visitors.

The car of basic education of the Higher School of Education of Coimbra also decided to voice the concerns of future teachers, whose “future is very uncertain,” said 20-year-old Louise.

In nursing, Barbara, a 3rd year student, weaves the same script.

“The future is unpredictable, and many immediately think about going abroad. Now there was a job fair, and these were only agencies specializing in emigration. The state invests so much in our education, and then does not keep us here”, a car that asks “where is the applause” from medical workers after the end of the pandemic.

The parade also attracted additional local criticism, namely directed at the Chamber of Coimbra, accusing it of preferring Coldplay to a student party, due to the concerts, the parade should take place on a Tuesday instead of the usual Sunday.

The architecture cart, which traditionally never carries flowers, hinted at the problems of its faculty, which has long complained about structural work in a degraded and “unusable” building, student Eva Castro explained to Luza.

“The structure is fragile, without a roof and looks almost broken, like the department building,” he said.

This year the procession, in addition to being on Tuesday instead of Sunday, will have a slightly different route in the city center due to the work on the Mondego mobility system, and is expected to end at Guarda Inglesa, on the left bank of the river Mondego.