Andre Ventura talks about the PSD’s “cotton test” on the political future in the Azores.

President Chegi confirmed his party’s readiness for a government agreement in the Azores and noted that the “cotton test” now lies with the PSD, which places responsibility on the Social Democrats.

“After election night we were given consistency, we said we were ready, we wanted to talk and we would come to a stable solution. The PSD that evening chose to put itself in the hands of the PS and say that the PS’s duty to support the government of Luis Montenegro is wrong, the cotton criterion is not Chega, but the PSD, regardless of whether you prefer a right-wing government or a left-wing government,” he said.

Speaking to journalists in Sobral de Monte Agrazo, Lisbon district, Andre Ventura rejected the notion that Chega was “between a rock and a hard place” and said responsibility lay “on the other side”, in PSD/CDS-PP/ PPM. the coalition that won regional elections last week without an absolute majority.

Andre Ventura insisted that there are “informal conversations on this issue” in the Azores that are “evolving”, after the PSD president said on Saturday that there are “no” any negotiations in the Azores and “it is not worth dreaming about” . “.

Regarding the legislative elections on March 10, the Chega leader took the opportunity to challenge PSD leader Luis Montenegro to “answer the basic question: is there a right-wing majority, but the PS has more votes than the PSD or this Chega if the PSD agrees to form a right-wing government or if it makes a PS government viable, let the PS rule.”

“The leader of the SDP must say what he is going to do, and silence is a bad omen for democracy and a manifestation of some political cowardice,” he said.

Speaking to reporters during a campaign initiative ahead of the March 10 legislative elections, President Chegi found it “particularly ironic” that PS’s “big measure” on housing is to increase IRS deductible expenses along with rental housing. . accusations when the leader of the Socialists was responsible for this portfolio.

Andre Ventura argued that “if today it brings nothing but an increase in contributions of 50 euros, it is a very serious failure,” since “Pedro Nuno Santos promised that he would provide housing for everyone.”

The PS envisages in its election program, which will be presented today, an annual increase of 50 euros in deductible expenses, together with rent from the IRS point of view, until it reaches 800 euros in 2028, an official socialist source told the Lusa agency. .