‘This is a priority issue’: Marcelo breaks silence on police protests

The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, spoke for the first time this Wednesday about protests by the security forces (PSP and GNR), which demand the payment of a service allowance equal to that paid by the judicial police.

“I would say that the main goal of the platform has been achieved – to raise awareness among the Portuguese,” Marcelo begins, explaining that “the Portuguese continue to feel safe.”

Marcelo said that “at one point there was talk that holding elections might be in doubt” due to a shortage of agents, but he ruled out that possibility.

Marcelo explains that boycotting elections could lead to instability of democracy, but says he never had any doubts that “no one would jeopardize the elections.”

The head of state has no doubt that the next government will prioritize the problem that led to protests by the PNP and PSP police.

“I have no doubt that one of the priorities will be to respond to legitimate aspirations and correct the inequalities that have arisen,” he said.

The President of the Republic also took the opportunity to advise the security forces not to lose the support of the Portuguese.

“It is important that at every step he who constantly strives for a fair fight does so remembering the support that he cannot fail to receive from the Portuguese,” he said.

“At every moment, the security forces need, what is their task, in their combat operations, to find ways to correspond to this sense of security of the Portuguese,” he advised.

On the other hand, Marcelo Rebelo de Souza disagrees with the way the security forces’ protests are presented “as a weapon between demanding groups and the government” in the leadership, countering that “what is really important is to look at who will be the supporters of the protests.” future” after legislative ones.