Political parties have already reacted to the agreement signed by the government on Monday, which provides for the application of a zero VAT rate on various food products.
According to the PCP, “For a VAT exemption measure to be effective, price controls are necessary.”
The Livre party, on the other hand, says “you don’t understand all the secrecy when it should have been a public decision” and adds that it is awaiting discussion in the Assembly of the Republic to ask for clarification.
“We doubt and treat this VAT reduction with some skepticism,” he adds.
According to the Liberal Initiative, this agreement “could have entered into force as early as January 1”, the party claims that four months have been wasted and that the government of António Costa has once again demonstrated incompetence.
“Thus it is confirmed that this press conference is the death certificate of the minister of agriculture,” says Rodrigo Saraiva of the political party.
The parliamentary leader of the PS believes that the government has reached one of the most important agreements with the food suppliers and producers of the legislature and that the political life of the opposition is particularly difficult. Eurico Brillante Diaz spoke to reporters following Prime Minister Antonio Costa’s announcement of applying zero VAT to a basket of 44 foodstuffs to mitigate the effects of inflation.
Asked about criticism from various opposition political forces of this path taken by the executive branch, the chairman of the PS parliamentary group replied: “A more constructive attitude to problem solving has always been preferable to constant criticism.”
“The government entered into one of the most important agreements of this legislature today. This is the third [acordo]after social reconciliation to increase revenues and another one with public administration unions to increase wages from the middle point of view,” he said.
From Eurico Brillante Diaz’s point of view, the agreement now announced by António Costa “represents an innovative approach and goes far beyond what was perceived on Friday.”