"Government tries to follow Chega's lead"

Speaking to Lusa news agency, ahead of Thursday's state of the nation debate in the Assembly of the Republic, the leader of the Chega party considered that "the country is not well", but stressed that the Government is showing "a little more willingness" to dialogue with the party, particularly on matters such as immigration.

Pedro Pinto considered that the "Government is trying to follow Chega's lead a bit," but that this is "a good sign" and means that the party led by André Ventura is presenting "good and valid proposals for the functioning and progress of the country."

The president of the Chega parliamentary group stressed, however, that the government "cannot engage in dialogue with the PS and Chega at the same time because they are two parties in completely opposite camps" and must opt for a preferential partnership in the name of governance stability.

Chega's parliamentary leader referred to the PS's approval of the IRS reduction proposed by the Government to state that this type of agreement could not happen with his party because Chega "wants a radical tax reduction."

"I understand that the PSD will have more difficulty negotiating this tax cut with us than with the Socialist Party, because, with the PS, they always do that thing so that the Portuguese don't feel the impact of a tax cut in their pockets," he added.

Pedro Pinto also highlighted the country's health situation, with problems with the response of the National Emergency Department (INEM) and emergency services, as the main issue on which the Government must respond to Parliament.

"It's something that the PSD committed to resolving, that the PSD had committed to resolving during the first year of its mandate, 14 months have passed and it hasn't been resolved, there's still no solution in sight," he added.

Pedro Pinto also addressed the delay in justice as another of the main issues to be resolved in the country, stressing that "justice cannot work this way" and "has to be faster" and calling for more responses to combat corruption.

The debate on the state of the nation is scheduled for next Thursday, the first since the XXV Constitutional Government took office, which will be attended by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and the rest of the government.