The Prime Minister said, in the presentation of the ‘Build Portugal’ program, that he will use fiscal measures to allow for the sharing of risks and thus promote “price containment”.
Affecting “in a transversal way the entire Portuguese territory”, the housing problem has repercussions on all activities, from economic to employment, so its resolution appears fundamental, said the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, in presentation of the ‘Build Portugal’ project. In Porto, where, the president of the municipality, Rui Moreira, said earlier, the problem is especially impactful.
The plan aims to respond to a fundamental problem that is also a fundamental right, enshrined in the Constitution”, “which cannot be just a legal formulation”, stated Luís Montenegro. “It is through housing that people achieve their dignified life, their space of freedom.” The problem results in a “circumstance that we cannot tolerate”.
“The last few years have not been able to solve the problem. But objectively, everything is not bad: what is done well is worth continuing”, especially because “you have to not waste time”, she said. “We are presenting a new strategy with thirty instruments” that will be approved and agreed upon, “involving all relevant areas of public administration, municipalities, associations, cooperatives, and also political parties”, stated the prime minister.
Luís Montenegro revealed that, next week, the Government will listen to the remaining parliamentary parties to “take advantage of what is positive” in all of their programs. “We are available to debate ideas,” he said, but only with those who “aren’t pretending to want to talk.” “Our principle is to take advantage of what is good and change what is not working now.” “The first thing to convey is the reestablishment of confidence – because without it the public administration will not execute and economic agents will not invest”, he further said.
It was ‘distrust’ that ended the previous legislative package, under the responsibility of the PS. “We haven’t promised that, with immediate effect, everyone will have access to decent housing – because that doesn’t generate confidence.” The secret, he said, is to use all the tools available.
“The investment, which concerns public administration, we will guarantee,” he assured. “We are going to provide a new fiscal context so that there is a leveling of risk, having to offer price containment in return”, he said. We set the rules and give the instruments in exchange for the premises we put on the table. This is what the Government will do, “starting with the most vulnerable and above all through public authorities”, he also said.
“We know that we need to be on the side of demand, which needs help from public authorities”, from those most in need, young people. “We are all aware of the urgency and scope of this strategy, and we are all aware that we cannot fail. You have to tell the truth and not waste time with the accessory”, he concluded.
