PS emphasizes “good news” which is a “mirror of a well-governed country”.

PS Parliamentary Leader Eurico Brillante Diaz on Monday saw the European Commission’s forecasts as “a mirror of a well-governed country on the right track”, praising the executive’s precautions in various contexts of the crisis.

This position was expressed by PS parliamentary leader Eurico Brillante Dias in the Assembly of the Republic after the European Commission revised upwards its growth forecast for the Portuguese economy for this year to 2.4%, the third-highest figure in the zone. euro, proving to be more optimistic than the government. Brussels also predicts that Portugal’s deficit will fall to 0.1% this year, the lowest in the eurozone.

Describing the economic forecasts from Brussels as “good news”, Eurico Brillante Diaz stressed that “Portugal is in the top three economic growth after becoming one of the countries with the strongest economic growth in 2022.”

“The government manages well: again with Dr. António Costa, with PS, in the face of the biggest difficulties we had with the pandemic, but now, with the war and the fight against inflation, the Portuguese are side by side, who protects their income, who rules defending the country,” he argued.

The Socialist also criticized the opposition, stating that “all predictions did not come true.”

“And it is no coincidence that Dr. Luis Montenegro, who is so quick to react and comment on events in the political life of Portugal, has never even commented on the results of the Portuguese economy in the first quarter of this year and still, at this time. , has not yet commented on the forecasts of the European Commission, because they are a mirror of a well-governed country on the right track,” he concluded.

The Socialist leader was asked about data released last week by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), according to which the average monthly gross wage in Portugal fell by 0.6% in real terms in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2022. , with only the private sector registering real wage growth.

Brillante Diaz responded that the INE figures “do not match directly with the figures provided by Social Security”, which states that “gross wages increased in 2023 compared to 2022 by 8%” and that “average gross base wages increased about 9%”.

“The INE data shows real wage growth in the private sector by 0.3%,” he continued, adding that “there is a deterioration in the wages of civil servants.”

“And therefore the concerns we have about careers and pay increases in the civil service,” he said.

Also in the civil service, the socialist recalled that “there is an agreement between the government and trade unions” and that the executive branch “will abide by this agreement.”

“And depending on the inflation data, which by the way, the forecasts are now more favorable than they were in February, this will naturally reflect the increase in the salaries of civil servants, progressively and cautiously, as we do,” he added.

The MP stressed that “pensions will be increased again after the support that was provided in November 2022, the salaries of civil servants have been increased and will have an intermediate increase”, “one million low-income families” receive “assistance of additional benefits” and among other measures, the family allowance.

“The Portuguese will gradually, with an adequate policy, feel, they already feel, but will feel in the near future the growth of their purchasing power,” he said.

Brilante Diaz stressed that “Portugal has a government that carefully manages public accounts to always have affordable income to support the most vulnerable.”

When asked whether the government should continue to provide additional support, the deputy noted that “support measures began to be applied now, in May, and will enter into force in July for pensions.”

“We will continue the assessment, but it seems clear to me that the budget deficit is shrinking (…) and therefore the government is able to support families and the Portuguese at any time,” he said. .