SDP President Luis Montenegro met this Thursday with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The Social Democrat criticized the government’s handling of European funds and also expressed the party’s “full solidarity” with the European Union’s efforts to increase support for Ukraine.
Following a bilateral meeting with Ursula von der Leyen on the sidelines of the European People’s Party (EPP) meeting, Montenegro told Lusa that it was “a very productive and very interesting meeting dedicated to reflections on the various topics being discussed today.” on the table on the European agenda”, led by support for Ukraine, which will be discussed again this Thursday by the heads of state and government of 27 countries in the European Council.
“In the beginning and at the forefront today, it will always be a priority to be on the side of Ukraine and be able to help the Ukrainian people in the face of this inexplicable and unacceptable invasion from Russia, and I had the opportunity to express the full solidarity of the SDP with the European Commission and the efforts of European institutions to strengthen support for Ukraine “, he stated.
As for the decision, which is due to be approved by the leaders of 27 countries this Thursday, for the EU to accept a package of two billion euros for the production and provision of large-caliber ammunition to Ukraine in order to deliver one million artillery shells to Ukraine. Ukrainian army over the next 12 months, the leader of the SDP was in full agreement.
“We must, of course, move from words to deeds, and support is also military support, you can’t say it any other way. The defense of the territory and sovereignty of Ukraine is the defense of European values, of those who believe in the Rule. law, those who believe in respect for the sovereignty of each Member State and strongly oppose illegal and unjustified incursions,” he began.
Montenegro believes that “there is likely to be a consensus among member states” on this issue and expressed its belief that the Portuguese government “will also adhere to this consensus”, adding that the PSD also “shares this consensus”.
Another main topic on the agenda of the European Council, which will last until Friday, is the EU’s strategy to increase its competitiveness on a global scale, and in this matter the President of the PSD said that, in his opinion, “it has not yet been achieved quickly enough to launch a cycle of growth and prosperity in Europe that is, in truth, more sustainable and longer lasting.”
According to the PSD leader, “Europe cannot remain a geography whose trade rules penalize European companies compared to companies from other places, namely the US or China.”
“We need to know how to reconcile our interests with what globalization is and the competitiveness of various trading blocs,” he said, noting that “we need to go further” and “modernize industrial production in Europe, provide some reciprocity in trade and support strategic sectors such as agriculture and tourism, which are also strategic for Portugal.”
Montenegro took the opportunity to criticize the government, saying that the European strategy, namely the industrial plan of the European Environment Pact, “contrasts with what is being done in the country.”
“We use European funds – and cohesion funds, and, above all, the RDP. [Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência]- Filling gaps in public investment that have been noted over the past seven years. I said this to the President of the European Commission, as I said, especially to my colleagues in the FIZ,” he said.
“This worries me because it means that we may not be able to keep up with the pace of evolution in competitiveness that European countries as a whole are trying to increase. Therefore, it is good that there is a European policy related to supporting companies and competitiveness, but it is good that we are not lagging behind and are not some kind of second link in what is a lever of economic development,” he said.
Luis Montenegro also said that he had “an opportunity to inform the Chairman of the Commission about what is happening in Portugal, with a huge decline in purchasing power, a huge inability to pay often the most necessary expenses, such as food, transport, mobility, paying rent for housing or an exponential increase in home loan premiums.”
European leaders have been meeting this Thursday morning in Brussels at the European Council, which is attended by the Secretary General of the United Nations as a special guest and marked again by the war and the EU’s support for Ukraine.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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