The President of the Republic said this Wednesday that the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) needs to be accelerated and announced that he will receive Prime Minister António Costa next week to review the situation.
“Two years ago, he came to present the PRR with various members of the government who were in charge of the funds at the time, and now he will come here to show the situation,” Marcelo Rebelo de Souza told reporters in the former royal arena, next to the Belém Palace. in Lisbon.
“And then I intend to visit some of the works, completed or concluded, with the Prime Minister, to show a very great commitment to the implementation of the PDP,” added the head of state, who spoke in the middle of the session of the program “Musicians in Belen Palace”, this Wednesday with the participation of Mario Laginha.
Asked about the news that the European Commission has disbursed a second tranche of €1.8 billion from Portugal’s PRR, the President of the Republic replied that “the use of European funds is expected to continue and accelerate.”
“The execution is going on in many aspects, the prime minister has visited several works, but what is being done in terms of execution is still not enough because of this administrative procedure,” says Marcelo Rebelo de Souza, insisting that “2023 is the year to accelerate this execution.”
The President of the Republic said that “the Prime Minister has already said that he has taken a very important decision, which is to not wait for the decision of the European Commission next year on the extension of the deadlines and continue to be ahead of what can be done in advance.”
“If that means it will cost more than if we went a year ahead – as you know, production costs are still very high – the government is ready to resort to European loans to which it is entitled. rate, the maximum possible for European funds. I think it’s good,” he saluted.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said the prime minister’s visit to the Belém Palace to discuss the status of PRR implementation “will be next week.”
Regarding his visit to some of the works, he pointed to “the end of February and the middle of March”.
The program “Músicos no Palacio de Belém” has become the usual platform for the President of the Republic to answer a series of questions from journalists on current events, of which there were more than ten this Wednesday, related to topics ranging from drug trafficking to the Algarve to the earthquake resistance of the new central hospital in Lisbon, with piano music played by Mario Lagini as background music.
This Wednesday, at the entrance to the former royal arena, the head of state was also interrogated about the agenda of Augusto Santos Silva and how he is acting as chairman of the Assembly of the Republic. declined to comment, noting only that “no two people are the same” and that all of the Speakers of Parliament “had very different profiles” to conclude “Every profile is a profile of a historical moment.”
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said that he had a “very good” relationship with Augusto Santos Silva since he was foreign minister” and that he had the opportunity to “assess his qualities and test his concern and sense of state”. .
“Therefore, I will not comment on how he fulfills his mandate,” he said. “What everyone understands, firstly, what is the performance of their functions, and secondly, what is their vision of the country and its future in front of the country, it depends on everyone,” he added.
Asked about the resignation of National Innovation Agency President Joana Mendonza, he did not comment directly, but pointed to the current volume of European funds for a limited period of time as a challenge “never seen on such a scale”. at the level of the European Union”, which causes a “severe overwork” at the administrative level.
Regarding the negotiations between teachers’ unions and the government, the President of the Republic reiterated that “it is necessary to speak, it is necessary to negotiate, it is necessary to maintain a position of good faith” in order to avoid “commitment to the final part of the school year”.
Regarding the assistance provided by Portugal to rescue the survivors of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, he welcomed Interior Minister José Luis Carneiro, considering that it was “very fast”, taking into account the need “to have protective structures”. prepared for the unexpected.”
Regarding the warning made by TVI/CNN Portugal engineer Mario López about the seismic capabilities of the future central hospital in Lisbon, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa promised to find out “how serious it is, what is happening and, if necessary, then naturally talk to the government.”
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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