Costa rejects the idea that those making minimum wage will pay the IRS next year

The Prime Minister said this Wednesday that there is “no point” for those on the National Minimum Wage (SMN) to start paying the IRS in 2024, having given up the option next year.

“The state budget will be presented on October 10, and what we will present is certainly a proposal that fulfills the already publicly stated goal of reducing by more than two billion euros the amounts that the Portuguese pay to the IRS. Therefore this is not true. it makes sense that anyone who doesn’t pay [IRS] start paying, especially those with lower incomes,” said António Costa.

The Prime Minister was answering questions from journalists during a visit to Nazaré as part of the Close Government initiative, which runs from today to Thursday in the Leiria district.

According to Antonio Costa, the possibility of updating the minimum wage, which would make workers who earn that amount pay the IRS, is “an issue that cannot be raised and a discussion that does not make sense.”

“There will undoubtedly come a day when the minimum wage will be significantly higher than the minimum wage, as it should be. […] This doesn’t exist yet,” he said.

The Prime Minister stressed that the country must strive to create “a society in which wages for work” far exceed the minimum for subsistence.

Asked about the possibility that by the end of his term, workers receiving SMN will start paying the IRS, António Costa said the government aims to reach a minimum wage of 900 euros in 2026, but will have to wait and see how it develops economy. is evolving and what this means for updating indicators, especially social support indices.

“There is no point in anticipating discussions,” he said.

Responding to a question about the ability to implement the mobilization programs of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), António Costa emphasized that after “the whole bureaucratic phase,” projects began to be implemented “at cruising speed.”