The parliamentary leader of the PS does not agree either with advancing with a transversal lowering of the IRC. Speaking to journalists this Thursday, Eurico Brilhante Dias defended that proceeding with the isolated decline of the IRC could “create such a perception of divergence” causing “a feeling of injustice in the community.” The tax reduction for companies was defended by the Minister of Economy and, meanwhile, annulled by other government officials and socialists.
“We serve the entire community. And, to keep it together, we cannot create such a perception of divergence that it provokes a feeling of injustice in the community. We are not going to agree with that”, said the parliamentary leader when asked about a hypothesis – the transversal reduction of the IRC – launched by a minister of the socialist government.
The Minister of Economy defends that the transversal reduction of the IRC would be “extremely important” for the industry
If António Costa e Silva considers that “in the face of the crisis, it would be extremely beneficial to have this transversal reduction and, from there, see what impact it can have in the future”, in the PS and in the Government the positions are not the same . Fernando Medina has already put an end to the subject. And the parliamentary leader of the PS —who, in 2013, agreed with the then PSD/CDS majority to lower the IRS— also aligns himself with the orientation of the Minister of Finance, putting the discussion in social consultation, where the agreement is. to finalize. of rent.
“I do not make comments, neither positive nor negative. The Government’s line is clear: we are talking about an income agreement”, responded Eurico Brilhante Dias when confronted with the position of the Minister of Economy. “There is a set of electoral proposals and a path that the Government has taken with the social partners to have a medium-term income agreement. This is how this set of issues is being discussed”, he tried to close.
But he also faced the deal that he himself negotiated, as a member of the board of the then leader of the PS, António José Seguro. He justified it with the idea of not joining the lowering of the IRC. “At that time, it was necessary to protect people first. The PPD/PSD and the CDS, at the time, wanted to lower the IRC and, in order to have the agreement of the PS, only if they also proceeded with the IRS and VAT reductions”. He then accused the majority of having violated the agreement:
Unfortunately, this agreement was violated the following year, when the government led by the PPD/PSD continued to reduce the IRC, but without reducing the IRS and VAT”
Already at that moment of crisis (I was troika in the country) “reducing only the IRC would be an example of fiscal injustice translated into social injustice. Therefore, the reduction of taxes for companies and families is an important aspect in a context in which we need to have the correct accounts”, guaranteed the socialist.
On whether this measure could be associated with a tax reduction for families, the socialist says nothing. Everything related to the Budget, the parliamentary leader of the PS says that it will have to be analyzed in a “global” way. “Doing a tax-by-tax analysis, when looking for a global approach, may not be the most appropriate way to look at the matter,” he argued.
He also left intense criticism of the PSD, particularly directed at its leader, Luís Montenegro, whom Eurico Brilhante Dias says is part of “a group of protagonists who made Portugal a laboratory of austerity.” “When they talk about austerity, two parties always come to mind for the Portuguese: the PPD-PSD and the CDS. They practiced austerity in the country and when the opposition talks about austerity it is a kind of gift for the government because as soon as they talk about austerity the Portuguese know who practiced it”.
Source: Observadora
