Medina says that today the commission of inquiry will have all the documents on the dismissal of the TAP leaders

Finance Minister Fernando Medina said this Wednesday in parliament during a discussion of the stability program that the government “in the face of uncertainty” decided to respond “prudently”. Medina said retirees have not been hit by the cuts and that they still have “buying power gains” and also mentioned that “the economy continues to grow at peak levels, with an estimated 0.6 growth at the end of the first quarter and a high-end revision.” level. GDP growth forecast from 1.3% to 1.8% for the year as a whole”.

Fernando Medina suggested that “Inflation will continue to fall. The 2023 revision to 5.1% is consistent with a significant decline since April and with values ​​close to 3% at the end of this year, as well as interest rates that will be below 4% at the end of the year. The minister also said that the government has not yet cut taxes, but will do so when it has “confidence in the ability to do this without creating difficulties in the future. “The obligation to cut taxes occurs when the government can ensure that it is not about taking a step forward without taking two steps back.”

The Head of Financial Portfolio also recalled the emergency support provided to families and assured that “those who need it most will be protected.” Fernando Medina also said that the weight of the public debt will decrease and expects the debt to be less than 100% of the product by 2025. “Healthy public finances are an advantage for a country to deal with the future. Not limiting the present, but avoiding over-indebtedness. It’s the choice of the program.”

The commission of inquiry will receive documents on the dismissal of the heads of TAPs
Block de Esquerda MP Mariana Mortagua asked Medina for an opinion that allowed the TAP CEO to be dismissed for good reason. Christine Urmier-Widener. “Within two days, two ministers [Ana Catarina Mendes e Mariana Vieira da Silva] they said they couldn’t send a legal opinion to the AR because it didn’t serve the public interest. The Minister said that it does not exist. Can you explain who was lying or not, and where is the truth among the different versions that we have heard,” he asked.

The Minister of Finance replied that on Wednesday The Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry will have access to all documents, those that it requested for the first time and those that it did not request for the first time, which form the basis of the process of dismissing TAP administrators,” he assured. Fernando Medina also said that he found the adjective he heard “in recent days about sending documents to the commission” “deplorable”.

Mariana Mortagua also asked the minister about the need for Portugal to have a deficit of 0.4% in 2023, up from 1.9% a year ago, and cited that she “has no reason to take any report presented to us seriously” .

PSD and IL criticize the Stability Program
PSD MP Hugo Carneiro asked the finance minister “when he will present the growth strategy”, saying he did not see it. Hugo Carneiro asked if the government would submit a PRR report to the IGF, which he said showed failures in milestones.

Liberal Initiative MP Cotrim de Figueiredo said he felt “sadness” when he read the “Stability Program” and wondered what the government would cut from the IRS when more than three billion euros in revenues have been collected in recent years.

Medina responds to criticism and attacks PSD
Fernando Medina responded to the PSD’s criticism and criticized the party’s “failed strategy” for economic growth. “Last time that the PSD went through the government, advocated that public investment should be excommunicated,” he said. The Minister of Economy emphasized that “the amount of investment of national resources has increased, not counting the resources of the community.”

Mariana Mortagua: “The future cannot control the present!”
The Esquerda Bloc, in the voice of Mariana Mortagua, takes the floor and does not spare the government and the presented Stability Program. The Blockade MP criticizes the lack of investment in public services, and also laments the state of the social network, public transport and teachers’ struggles. “What was done yesterday will not change tomorrow,” he says. “The future cannot control the present!” says Mariana Mortagua.