Paulo Rangel argues that the supplement to lower pensions is “a fundamental social measure”

This Friday, the Foreign Minister refuted opposition criticism of the measures announced by the Prime Minister in Pontal, saying that the extraordinary supplement to lower pensions was a “fundamental support” that “should cover 2.4 million people.”

“I don’t understand why so many people, namely opposition parties, are unhappy with this social measure that exposes budgetary responsibility,” said Paulo Rangel at the end of a visit to the Social Parish Church of Nossa Senhora da Boavista Center, in the parish of Ramalde, in Porto.

In a conversation with journalists, Paulo Rangel particularly noted the criticism of PS Secretary General Pedro Nuno Santos that the pension increase is an electoral measure.

“As far as I know, there is no prospect of elections, elections will only happen if the PS Secretary General wants them. Frankly, I am not going to make political comments, but I can tell you one thing clearly, that the Portuguese at home know that we are a reformist government with social sensitivity,” he said.

In his opinion, it is necessary to “look at people with lower incomes. We need structural policies to develop the economy and be able to distribute better, but we also need to have measures to support families and, in this case, the elderly.”

The addition, announced on Wednesday at the Festa do Pontal political event in the Algarve, is due to be implemented in October and will cost “just over 400 million euros”.

“Social measures should not bother the PS, they should stimulate the PS. The government always works on stability and does not think about early elections,” he said, stressing that the “concern” of the executive power is “reforming the country and social support.”

In this regard, Rangel also pointed to the measure concerning the 20 euro monthly rail pass: “Look closely at what this means in terms of sustainability. It is a structural measure, isn’t it?”

Paulo Rangel also pointed to the announced increase in the number of vacancies in medical courses, saying that “the government is not working for tomorrow. The government is working for tomorrow, next month, next year.”

Regarding health, Rangel said he did not understand the criticism from the PS and the party’s general secretary, who believe that the situation is now “worse than in 2023.”

“In any case, it is not worse, but I will say one thing: you have to have the moral right to speak. It does not make sense that Pedro Nuno Santos, who was part of a government that lasted eight or nine years and left the National Health Service in the state in which he left it, comes to criticize a government that has been in power for four months,” he stressed.

In the event of an emergency obstetric service being closed, “we are addressing the issues and the system is operating within the constraints of the PS policy from nine years ago.”

“The issues of police officers, teachers, judicial officials and military personnel were also not resolved. All these issues were resolved within four months,” he stressed.

Regarding the question of the viability of the next state budget, the minister said that “everything is going well” and offered the Socialist leader “calm” as negotiations “should resume in September”.

Paulo Rangel said that “all the conditions are in place” to approve the next state budget if “the opposition parties want it.”

“The government wants stability. Now stability also depends on the opposition. So let’s see how the government’s position will behave,” he added.

At Pontal, which is a “partisan but traditional PSD event, the prime minister made it clear that we want to reform the country, that we are reforming the country,” Rangel said.

Prime Minister Luis Montenegro announced on Wednesday that the government would approve an extraordinary supplement to the lowest pensions, which would range from 100 to 200 euros and be paid in October.

During a nearly 45-minute speech at the Festa do Pontal festival in Quarteira, Faro district, which marked the political “return” of the PSD, Luís Montenegro announced an “extraordinary supplement” to be paid in October, which will amount to 200 euros for those with a pension of up to 509.26 euros, 150 euros for pensions between 509.26 and 1,018.52 euros, and 100 euros for pensions between 1,018.52 and 1,527.78 euros.

The Chief Executive also announced the creation of extra places on medical courses to offset the retirement of doctors from the National Health Service, as well as a €20-a-month rail pass that will give access to all city, regional, inter-regional and intercity services.