The State Budget proposal for 2021 was approved with the favorable votes of 108 PS deputies, and the abstention of 15 MPs from PCP, PEV, PAN, and also two non-inscribed deputies, Cristina Rodrigues and Joacine Katar Moreira. PSD, Left Block, CDS, Liberal Initiative and Chega, which total 105 deputies, voted against.
The document now goes on to final writing, namely in order to integrate all the proposals that were approved in the specialty and general votes, and then sent for promulgation by the President of the Republic, who has the last word.
The budget debate ended in an atmosphere of tension with the Government and the PS accusing the PSD of irresponsibility for having allied with the BE to approve a rule that cancels the transfer of 476 million euros from the Resolution Fund to Novo Banco.
After the 2021 State Budget was approved in a final global vote, the Prime Minister assured that the Government will comply with the law and respect the contract with Novo Banco.
António Costa said that he will not be conditioned by this proposal by the Left Block, which was supported by the PSD, to prevent the transfer of 476 million euros to the Resolution Fund, which is destined for the Novo Banco.
"I will not be here discussing the legal technicalities and there is only one thing I will say: A signed contract is a contract that must be honored, a law that exists is a law that must be respected, and legality will surely be ensured in a country that honors itself of being a rule of law», said the head of government.
Portugal "is not a country in which the Constitution, laws and contracts are torn apart at the whim of political convenience," he added.
“We are a country that is honored to respect constitutional democracy, where legality is enforced and contracts are respected. This is how we will do it», stressed the prime minister.
In counterpoint, Rui Rio, president of the PSD, defended that the State "must fulfill" the contract with Novo Banco if this institution also fulfills, and refused that the vote of the Social Democrats cause reputational damage to the country.
"I voted in line with what I always said: that the Government before any transfer to Novo Banco must come to parliament to explain the reasons, preferably with an independent audit of the Court of Auditors on the table", guaranteed Rui Rio, in response to questions from journalists in parliament at the end of the budget discussion.
Rio questioned whether it is certain that the contract signed between the State and Lone Star (owner of Novo Banco) is being fulfilled by the bank's side.
«The Portuguese State has to comply, but we have to be sure that the other side is also complying. The contracts have two sides and we are here to defend the Portuguese taxpayers», he said.
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