Asks MPs to “concentrate on resolving problems of Portuguese people”
Talking at the close of a PSD event in Évora today, prime minister Luís Montenegro appealed for focus on “what really matter in the lives of Portuguese people”.
In the febrile atmosphere of opposition parties forever hurling criticism, he asked his own people to use the upcoming State of the Nation debate (closing parliament ahead of the summer recess) to concentrate on the party’s commitment to Portuguese people, who are “not very interested in who is going after whom, who is talking about whom on which day”, or even on the debate.
People ‘want to have a job, they want to have a chance to progress in their careers, they want to have an answer in the SNS state health service: “In the debate on the state of the nation, we’ll be there to show our colours for the health policy we’re developing (…) We’re not indifferent to cases (where things go wrong), but the country can’t live in agony just over these cases when it has thousands of cases at the same time that are successful.
“The country also has to recognise that the SNS, let’s put it plainly, responds well in most cases,” he stressed.
In short, he suggested it is time Portugal is allowed to ‘move on’, and for political opponents to move with it, not stay locked in party political battles, jostling for soundbites.
He reiterated the priority the government is giving to reforming the state, solving the problem of immigrants, solving the problem of safety in the streets – and being a central political force, “not marked by dogmas or ideologies that restrict our action. We are much more marked by the will to resolve people’s real problems – a political force, with CDS-PP, for dialogue.
As reports stress, in his speech which last more than half an hour, the prime minister “tried to counter criticism that immigration policies are the ‘alpha and omega’ of the government’s action” and criticised the “political agents whose parliamentary representation is at best six MPs (…) who speak arrogantly” on behind of ‘the majority of Portuguese’, when they were in fact elected by surprisingly few.
“In a democracy, majorities must respect minorities”, said Montenegro, but it is also “a golden rule of democracies that minorities respect majorities”.
There are three ‘major days’ left before parliament winds up for its summer recess. A debate on the government’s proposals for changes to the law on immigration, the State of the Nation debate – and final voting on Friday.
It is certain that minority parties will react badly to the PM’s entreaties, but this time round, the coalition government does appear to be on a stronger footing.
Source material: LUSA
