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The PAN spokesperson defended this Thursday that the budget allocation for animal protection cannot be limited to the protection of Agriculture, and called for “dignity” in the proposal to support animal protection.
Inês de Sousa Real, who in statements to the Lusa agency reacted to the statements of the Minister of Agriculture regarding the position of the PAN in the field of the State Budget proposal for 2025.
“Now trying to justify the lack of political options in this sense is trying to justify the unjustifiable. I repeat, the PAN will not retreat even a millimeter”he stressed, stating that the PAN will maintain its vote against the budget proposal.
HE Minister of Agriculture guaranteed this Thursday that the budget item for animal welfare will be reinforced in the 2025 State Budget, with an estimated amount of almost 500,000 eurosafter the PAN announced that it would vote against the budget, claiming that it completely eliminates funds dedicated to animal causes, which in 2024 amounted to 13.2 million euros.
According to the minister, there are funds provided for in the global endowment of the Ministry of Agriculture, but also in the Ministry of Finance, although they are not included in the provisions of the bill presented last week, like other investments.
The sole representative of the PAN denies that the PAN was wrong in pointing out that funds for animal protection were eliminated in the budget, stating that there is “no rule (in the OE proposal) that details animal protection.”
Inês de Sousa Real considers that this investment deserved the “dignity that it has always had in the OE”, remembering that support for “pets and social support for local authorities are not limited to the protection of agriculture.”
Sousa Real also criticized the execution of the executive and the budget in support of animal protection, saying that “the same Government that now says that it practically justifies what was its omission and the serious setback in these policies is the same Government that did not execute any penny”. to date in animal protection.”
“This is a clear sign of concern, it is a red alert for what is clearly the Government’s lack of intention to continue with these policies,” he added.
Source: Observadora
