Antonio Costa: “[Alexandra Reis] had to return part of the compensation”

Antonio Costa: “[Alexandra Reis] had to return part of the compensation”

Prime Minister António Costa said this Wednesday in a general political debate that Alexandra Reis should have returned some of the compensation she received from TAP when she was appointed to NAV.

“I have no doubt that there has been a violation of the status of the state manager,” he admitted.

Government ‘should not deprive WoW’ of utility status because of Rita Marquez

Katarina Martins of Bloco de Esquerda begins by saying that “there is a signed order [por Rita Marques] nine days after the 2021 election, which gives it the status of a travel company of the company of which it will be a part. António Costa emphasizes that the government “should not cancel” the order.

The PCP says the Rita Marquez case “shows a promiscuous relationship between political and economic power.”

Paula Santos, parliamentary leader of the PCP, says “workers are losing purchasing power and this will continue in 2023 at the behest of the government.”

“Indeed, there are those who win a lot with the connivance of the government,” he says.

Regarding the case of Rita Marquez, Paula Sa speaks of “indiscrimination between political and economic power” and says that the case is “unacceptable”.

The PCP approves a “purchasing power restoration wage and pension assessment policy” and a national minimum wage of €850. António Costa emphasizes that “the national minimum wage has risen by eight percent.”

António Costa says that “it protects the incomes of those who need them most, even structurally,” also referring to the “extreme support” given to people with upper-middle incomes.

Stop asking António Costa: “Do you trust the Minister of Agriculture?”

Andre Ventura questions Antonio Costa about the “mayors being arrested every week.”

Of Rita Marquez, a former secretary who gave benefits to the company she will now run, Ventura says she is “99.9% sure the situation was illegal.” Antonio Costa shoots: “I’m 99.9% sure” that the situation is illegal.

“Do you support the confidence of the Minister of Agriculture?” asks Andre Ventura after claiming the secretary knew about the seizure of accounts in the secretary of state’s case.

António Costa ensures that he “remains credible” in the minister, recalling that, according to the former secretary of state, “he says none of these values ​​have passed through her accounts.”

“Whenever a politician is arrested, we are all ashamed. But I would be even more ashamed if justice did not work. We live in a country where we have the right to act autonomously. No one is above the law,” says Ventura.

As for Rita Marquez, the prime minister says he “doesn’t see himself” in the decision of the former secretary of state.

Stop asking Rita Marquez’s company to remove the benefit, to which the prime minister replies “that conclusions should not be drawn about the legality of the acts committed. No tax credit has been attributed. To someone who is familiar with the hotel and the room, it does not seem unlikely that it has been given the status of a tourist site.

Ventura wants TAP administration to be “on the street” because “we risk paying with our money a fine of five million euros.”

“How long will we painfully watch this administration fall apart?” he asks. The Prime Minister says it is “useful and necessary” for the company to have “stability”.

Costa submits proposal tomorrow for preliminary study of government officials

This Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced that on Thursday he will present to the Council of Ministers a proposal for a preliminary review of the governing bodies, which he said has already received the consent of the President of the Republic, without giving details.

The prime minister noted that the first proposal, which he referred to last week during the discussion of a vote of no confidence, was considered by the head of state to be “not viable.”

PSD questions about António Costa’s “intervention” at Banco de Portugal

Miranda Sarmento also talks about the case of António Costa’s “intervention” at the Banco de Portugal and recalls that the Prime Minister “asked to delay” the answers “because the questions are difficult”.

“When do you plan to reply?” he shoots.

António Costa replies that “it took him some work” to recover the documentation. He suggests that “it will be soon” and PSD “would be very happy to read the replies.”

The PSD is available to discuss the test “loop” of future members of the government

PSD Joaquim Miranda Sarmento says party available for discussion check the “scheme” of future members of the government.

The SDP leader says “the responsibility for evaluating new rulers” lies with the prime minister, not the president of the republic.

The proposal will be discussed tomorrow at the Council of Ministers, but António Costa has not yet given details of the decision he will submit for consideration.

António Costa emphasizes that the President of the Republic “possesses considerable powers”, which justifies a joint agreement between the government and the President to appoint future rulers.

In terms of convergence with the European Union averages, “we are stagnating,” says Miranda Sarmento. “Your government will be honored with five countries that have surpassed us in terms of GDP per capita,” he warns.

António Costa responds to Miranda Sarmento by saying that the Portuguese are “seeking to get closer to the most advanced Portuguese in the European Union”, recalling that Portugal has closed the distance to Spain, France and Spain.

“If there are others who have also closed the distance? I don’t envy, our goal is to get closer to the most developed,” he says.

The Prime Minister emphasizes that compared to the last 15 years, the growth is “ten times greater”.

António Costa admits that he is still not “satisfied” with the level of poverty.

This Wednesday’s debate begins with Joao Cotrim Figueiredo interrogating Prime Minister António Costa about the numbers. poverty in Portugal and the fact that 25% of the population earns the minimum wage.

“This is ten times more than the average for the previous 15 years,” the prime minister replies. “Are we satisfied with the level of poverty? Of course not,” he admits, adding that the government aims to reduce poverty from 22% to 10% by 2030.

With regard to health care and its budget, António Costa replies that since 2015, “the health budget has increased like never before.” Relative to 2015, there is also a “significant increase” in consultations. “Even last year, there was a three percent increase in hospital consultations,” he says.

“The instability of your government was already discussed a lot last week during the discussion of the vote of no confidence, and I will not repeat here the fact that there were 13 resignations in nine months. Your Secretary of State [da Agricultura] Carla Alves, and a few hours later she was fired,” said the outgoing president of the Liberal Initiative.

According to Cotrim Figueiredo, António Costa’s behavior “even forced him, planned or improvised, to come up with this verification mechanism” before the government members were appointed.