The Prime Minister of Portugal, Luis Montenegrohas assured in his first Christmas speech that his Government is going to make the largest investment in public housing since the nineties of the last century. In addition, “we are going to encourage the construction for the sale and rental of houses for moderate values,” Montenegro said in his televised address.
As is tradition, the Prime Minister gave a speech on Christmas Day and, this year, Montenegro has made its debut after winning the elections last March. In fact, he began by mentioning that 2024 “was a year of change and change, the new Government has brought new priorities and new options.”
“We did not come to look at or criticize the past, we came to take care of the present and build a future,” he said. Regarding that future, he assured that his team will continue to strengthen health services and guarantee a quality public school. Likewise, “we are going to promote a regulated migration to welcome with dignity and humanism those who choose to live and work in our country,” continued the politician, who also promised to fight against economic crime, violent crime and drug trafficking.
“We are one of the safest countries in the world,” he stated, “but we have to safeguard that asset so as not to lose it.” Montenegro has been the target of criticism in recent days after a controversial police raid in an area with a significant migrant population in Lisbon, which left images of dozens of non-white men with their arms on the wall while they were searched by the police: the operation It resulted in two Portuguese arrests.
On the economic level, the prime minister assured in his speech that only by creating more wealth can the social State be saved. During his speech, Montenegro also reviewed some of the decisions made by his Cabinet in recent months. He remembered that they have done tax cuts on work and pensions and that they have approved “the first budget in memory that does not increase a single tax.”
In this regard, Montenegro was excited about the “impact” measures adopted so that young people stay and work in Portugal. On the other hand, he pointed out that his Government has agreed with the social partners on an increase in the national minimum wage, as well as an increase in the salaries of public employees and an update of pensions.
“We want to reward work to stimulate the country’s productivity and economy and guarantee more social justice,” remarked the prime minister.
He stressed that in a world “in convulsion” with military and trade wars, and a Europe “apprehensive” with the stagnation of Germany and the deficit and indebtedness of France, “Portugal is a benchmark of stability and a country of opportunities.”
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