SDP says that PS leadership candidates do not have the morale to talk about cutting pensions

This Monday, the PSD accused the two PS leadership candidates of “pretending that they are not members of this government,” saying that they are part of a socialist executive that wants to “cut pensions by a billion euros.”

“The internal campaign of the SDP is embarking on a dangerous path of isolation from reality and an attempt to whitewash reality. Both candidates pretend that they are not members of this government, which António Costa decided single-handedly,” criticized the PSD vice-president. Antonio Leitan Amaro talks to journalists at the party’s national headquarters.

The PSD leader responded to criticism from Pedro Nuno Santos and José Luis Carneiro of the measure announced on Saturday by PSD President Luis Montenegro at the party congress to raise the benchmark value of the Solidarity Supplement for the elderly. up to 820 euros at the end of the next legislative session (in 2028), if the early legislative elections on March 10 are won.

“They were also the ones who decided a year ago to cut Portuguese pensions by one billion euros, and only pressure from the PSD forced it to be reversed,” Leitan Amaru said.

The “deputy” of the SDP also held the PS responsible for the fact that more than ten years ago it “led the country to bankruptcy,” and agreed with the “troika” to reduce not only pensions, but also the salaries of civil servants.

“If it is not moral to talk about adjusting pensions, this is certainly the case with the PS, which a year ago, with these candidates – and it was not only António Costa – belonged to that Council of Ministers that a year ago decided to cut pensions by a billion euros” , – he said.

Last year, the SDP challenged the decision initially presented by the government to update pensions, which would have provided pensioners with an emergency increase equivalent to half the pension paid in October 2022 and an increase in 2023 of 3.53–4.43%, lower than was predicted according to the SDP data. to the current calculation formula.

However, in April this year the government announced a temporary increase in pensions by 3.57% from July, fully ensuring compliance with the values ​​​​set out in the law.

Asked about Pedro Nuno Santos’ summons to the PSD to present a report on the measure it announced in Congress, Leitan Amaro replied that “if there is a government and a party that the Portuguese may not trust, it is the PS.”

“The PSD will present its reports on this and various measures with its macroeconomic scenario,” he said, guaranteeing the “sustainability of the global package.”

António Leitan Amaru said that the PSD’s commitment to pensioners is “not new”, emphasizing that it was the government led by Social Democrat Cavaco Silva that created the 14th month for this sector, and took the opportunity to insist on criticizing parliamentary candidates . succession of Antonio Costa.

“These candidates, like the current government, are responsible for the ethical and political quagmire, for the confusion, for the health care chaos, for the war in schools, for the tax burden on minimal government services,” he said.

In particular, Leitan Amaru highlighted the “irresponsibility and mistakes” of the former Minister of Infrastructure Pedro Nuno Santos, referring to the episode with the agreement given through WhatsApp regarding the compensation of TAP administrator Alexandra Reis, or that he “thought that the silence of the night” could independently decide where the new airport will be located.

“It is as dangerous for a country to have ministers who make mistakes like this as it is to have ministers who do not accept responsibility,” he said, expressing confidence that the Portuguese “will not forget him” in their assessment of the next elections.