Carneiro reaffirms abstention in OE2027 (and leaves challenge to the Government)

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“ At the moment, creating a political crisis and putting a political crisis on top of a social crisis and an economic crisis, the country living in twelfths, meant it was impossible for the government to respond to people’s needs,” said José Luís Carneiro, in statements to journalists at the entrance to a clarification session on the OE2027, at the headquarters of the District Federation of Setúbal of the PS.

"The government could find even a excuse to say that it could not settle matters because of the opposition. We will not do this to the government and we will not do this to the country,” the Socialist leader added.

On the housing crisis, José Luís Carneiro recalled the challenge made today by the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, in the Assembly of the Republic, to transfer to the municipalities and metropolitan areas of the Institute of Housing and Urban Rehabilitation (IHRU), accompanied by funding for the rehabilitation of these properties.

According to José Luís Carneiro, there are many hundreds of properties that need to be reassessed, recovered and requalified before they can be made available for housing.

The Secretary-General of the PS also reiterated the appeal to the government to abandon the new rent law, considering that the executive's proposal, supported by the Aquira and the Liberal Initiative, hinders the access of young people, families and middle class to the rental market and increases the insecurity of the elderly.

“The first step should be to drop this rent law and then work with the Socialist Party on what is a public guarantee to provide security to owners and also security to tenants,” he stressed.

José Luís Carneiro also stressed that this is a solution that already exists in Spain and France, ensuring that, in recent meetings, the Portuguese Association of Banks and the Portuguese Association of Insurance Companies expressed a favourable opinion to the proposal.

On the other hand, the socialist leader reaffirmed criticism of the concept of ‘moderate income of EUR 2,300’.

“Who in this country can afford a moderate income of EUR 2,300,” the socialist leader was asked, warning that socialists cannot agree to measures that are “offensive and that undermine the dignity and living conditions of people”.

José Luís Carneiro also expressed his agreement with the appeal of the President of the Republic, António José Seguro, to a political understanding to respond to the housing crisis, considering that they were words "very important".

“ I think his [President of the Republic] words were very important. They were important because, once again, he called for dialogue, for the humility of the political leaders”, said José Luís Carneiro, considering, however, that there has been "lack of openness to dialogue" by the government.