PS states that the Government sought measures from the CSI for its electoral program – Politics

The parliamentary leader of the PS considered that the Government sought the measure that eliminates children’s income as an exclusion factor in the CSI’s access to the socialist electoral program, noting “with appreciation” that it did so.

Speaking to journalists in parliament, Alexandra Leitão reacted to the approval, by the Council of Ministers, of a measure to eliminate children’s income as an exclusion factor for access to the Solidarity Supplement for the Elderly (CSI).

The parliamentary leader of the PS indicated that it is a measure that was in the socialist electoral program and not that of the Democratic Alliance (AD), and “it was not even one of the measures that the Government took advantage of the electoral programs to include in its Government program”.

“We note with appreciation that you adopted a measure that we consider important, which is why we had it in our electoral program, unlike what happened with the AD”, he said, adding that the PS had already submitted a bill on the CSI in the parliament and scheduled a potential debate on the subject for May 24th.

“The Government played in anticipation here. It is a case of saying that it is not worth the Government complaining that the PS tries to govern from parliament because, after all, the Government takes advantage of the PS’s measures. Therefore, it governs even through the Government”, he stated, adding that the PS “does not intend to govern, it intends to have its measures approved”.

“After all, the Government approves the PS measures by decree-law,” he said.

Asked if she considers this to be an “effort to bring the Government closer” to the PS, Alexandra Leitão replied: “No, I think it is an effort to use a measure that is positive, which they had not remembered, and that they use a measure that was from the PS”.

“But, as I say, it’s a good measure, we welcome it. However, we learned that it could have been one of the measures included in the Government’s program and it wasn’t: it was reused at the last minute, probably with some political purpose “, he stressed.

Asked if the PS agrees with the measure that gives CSI beneficiaries access to free medicines, which was also approved by the Government today, Alexandra Leitão said that “the measures that were approved today are good measures for people, in a generally”, but the party needs to “study them in more detail”.

“We only have the public announcement, we have nothing to comment on these measures, they are good measures. Now naturally we have to note the circumstance that one of the measures is not included in the AD’s electoral program, is included in the PS’s, and is now approved by the Government of AD,” he said.

Already asked about how the PS will position itself in parliament in the face of the CSI measure, the deputy recalled that the Government approved the measure by decree-law, so it will not necessarily have to go through parliament, and said that the party also needs to to get to know it better to decide whether to call it for parliamentary consideration or not.

Regarding the potential debate that the PS had scheduled for May 24th on the subject, the parliamentary leader said that the party will still have to analyze what to do with it, namely whether to cancel this schedule or change the topic.

The Prime Minister announced today that the Government will increase, from June onwards, the reference value of the Solidarity Supplement for the Elderly (CSI) by 50 euros and eliminate children’s income as an exclusion factor criterion.

In other words, from June onwards the reference value of this benefit will increase from 550 to 600 euros and only the values ​​of pensioners and retirees who apply for it will be counted.