Mário Soares argues that the “end of the recession”, anticipated by Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho at the Festa do Pontal, is a mirage and that “the Portuguese must be aware of the serious situation in which the country finds itself”.
“The prime minister gives a speech in which he says he is very happy, that things are very good and next year will be much better? I'm convinced otherwise, next year will be much worse,” said Soares, at a conference in Loulé.
For the former President of the Republic, the government's neoliberal measures are not helping to overcome the very difficult situation.
“We know what austerity cost, which led to the most serious economic recession ever, the destruction of companies and the scourge – because that is what it is, a scourge – of unemployment. Austerity has led so many people to misery, but the truth is that the deficit was not even reduced. There is now more deficit than before, maybe twice as much, but Passos Coelho says no, that everything will go very well», said Mário Soares, stressing that «Portugal cannot be a protectorate of the Troika».
“Does a country with nine centuries of independent history advise our young people to go abroad? It is very serious», said the former statesman. "The worst thing is that the prime minister has already said that he is pleased to be going further than the Troika advocates and if austerity continues, we already know that there will be more recession and more unemployment," he predicts.
For Mário Soares, «the Portuguese – who are not that dumb, as shown by the demonstrations – must understand that if we cannot change Europe, we must try to change something in our land, returning to what has been the achievements since 25 April until now, as the National Health Service, which now seems to be concerned».
"[RTP?] I've said everything I had to say, that's a shame," the former President of the Republic told reporters. «But selling Águas de Portugal, TAP, everything is now at stake. What is left in our country? We have to change this [neoliberal policy], if not, we are all responsible», concluded Mário Soares.
Comments