“It is really fundamental that there is stability, political continuity”
Against a backdrop of relentless party-politics over the floundering SNS public health service, Portugal’s president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, has called for a truce (in his words ‘regime pact’) between the two main parties, considering that “it is really fundamental” that there is stability and “political continuity” in the future.
Speaking to SIC-Notícias in Monte Gordo, where he is enjoying a short holiday, he stressed: “the previous government had not yet begun to apply the reform it wanted to the management model of the national health service; there were posts to fill, all that would happen in 2024…” (…) the new government has changed some policies, changed the way it is managed, those responsible have changed”, but the important thing is “having stability for the future”.
Such a proposal for a regime pact was put forward on Sunday by SIC commentator and one of President’s Marcelo’s ‘state advisors’ Luís Marques Mendes.
With regard to the “immediate, the urgent”, Marcelo maintains that “there are measures that are easy to apply and there are others that are slower” – considering that it is important to “continue the kind of monitoring that the government is doing of the implementation of the emergency plan”.
The issue of cancer operations “were not easy, but (authorities) were quick and efficient and worked to improve the waiting list”.
The issue of obstetrics emergency departments have proved even more complicated, “they have more fundamental problems and there are other important points that require not a week or two weeks, but months or even a year” to sort out, he said.
Speaking with the beach in the background, Marcelo was also asked about what he expects from political parties in the coming months, and said that “I would like there to be an opening to negotiate the state budget bill”.
“It would be positive, especially from the main political parties (PSD social democrats and PS Socialists). It would mean that these remaining months until October/November were months in which, beyond existing differences, there was a common goal, which is to stabilise the country financially, economically and politically,” he stressed.
The head of state’s call was also for parties to reflect how they “see the effects of the world on Portugal (…) politically there are many unknowns”, but economically there are “apparently good, or at least reasonably good prospects in Portugal until the end of the year. But what about next year? People would like, depending a lot on what happens abroad, to also find stability, growth in the economy, no increase in unemployment, balanced public finances and social stabilisation,” he concluded.
It was a diplomatic way of saying the country has almost certainly had enough of all the party politicking of recent weeks, and would just like to see politicians doing their best for the people and prospects of this country.
Source: Lusa
