PCP Renames State’s More Housing Program to More Transfers for Banking and Real Estate

PCP General Secretary Paulo Raimundo this Saturday accused the government of “with its pompous ‘More Housing’ program” that it is simply promoting additional transfers of public money to secure tax breaks aimed at banking and real estate funds.

At the closing of the nationwide gathering “Taking the Lead – Ensuring the Right to Housing for All” held at the A Voz do Operário charity in Lisbon, Paulo Raimundo equated the PS options with the PSD, CDS, I.L. and Chega in this sector say that “content and background option are consistent.”

“They don’t care about solving the housing problem, but they are very interested in this competition of ideas for tax exemption and who gives more to economic groups and real estate funds. They all want to keep the logic of the speculative market. “, he accused.

In the most applauded passage of his speech, Raimundo quoted the story of the historical communist leader Alvaro Cunhal, “Os Belrigas e os Magriços”: “Now that there are a few days left before the celebration of April, it is necessary not to fatten the bellies, what is needed is to give conditions to Magrisos,” exhorted He.

Referring to the package for the sector, which the government called “More Housing”, Paulo Raimundo proposed a different designation.

“What was left for the government and PS to present in their bombastic More Housing program – or More Transfers if you will, is new tax breaks, new transfers of public money to banks, real estate funds and large landowners,” he criticized.

Paulo Raimundo accused PS of giving “oxygen tanks on a silver platter to the right”, given that PSD, CDS, IL and Chega just want “even more and faster” in the sector.

“The government and its henchmen want this social need, that is, housing, to be managed in accordance with the interests of the market,” they criticize.

Alternatively, the Secretary General of the PKP argued that it was necessary to “come face to face with the interests and profits of banking and real estate and put an end to preferential tax regimes”, as well as “repeal the law on evictions”, stressing that the PS never wanted to do this, even during the period of “inventions”, when he enjoyed the parliamentary support of the PKP, BE and Verdes.

“No sound has been heard from the banking and real estate team,” he criticized.

Paulo Raimundo emphasized that housing is a right protected by the Constitution and called for its implementation, despite the “new attempt at mutilation”, which, in his opinion, the ongoing review process is subject to.

“It is contrary to the Constitution and the April values ​​that right-wing politics have imposed the liberalization of housing construction with a strong ideological offensive that intends to convince us that it is the market, and not the state, that is in the best position to ensure this right,” he said.

According to the communist general secretary, “In the last three years, 60,000 inhabitants have been expelled from Lisbon, and 48,000 empty dwellings have been left in the city.” In Porto, he pointed out, 20,000 inhabitants had been expelled from the city.

“While the vast majority of people sacrifice themselves to keep their homes, while many immigrants live in absolutely inhuman conditions, we are seeing the encouragement of foreigners with high purchasing power in the national territory, especially in the areas of Lisbon and Porto, in Funchal and in the Algarve, who simultaneously enjoy tax or other special treatment, such as the provision of golden visas, aliens and, more recently, so-called digital nomads,” he lamented.

Paulo Raimundo recalled that the PCP advocates, among other things, direct government intervention and investment to expand the supply of public housing, protect tenants and families with mortgages, and “use bank profits to pay for higher interest rates.” “, proposals that “failed” in Parliament.

“Also [os muitos] private vacant housing must be placed on the market under a non-speculative rental regime. In case of need and in situations with malicious intent, resorting to the administrative possession of the state,” he said, saying that it is “the greatest disgust that a liberal primer comes to shout about the right to have empty houses when so many people urgently need a house” .