The SDP justified the request for family support measures to be considered in Parliament by saying that it considers it a “political hoax” for pensioners, combined with a proposed law that would change pension increases in 2023.
In the text of the request for parliamentary scrutiny, which Lusa had access to, the SDP has not yet indicated whether it intends to change or repeal the decree-law establishing exceptional family support measures to mitigate the effects of inflation, which it can do before the parliamentary debate.
The government diploma, approved, promulgated and published on Monday evening, contains, among other things, the creation of an emergency support for owners of income and social benefits and the creation of an exceptional supplement for pensioners, with the government announcing that in the latter case, pensioners will be paid as early as October additional amount equivalent to half board.
However, the PSD says the measures “are part of a broader package that overlaps” with others envisaged in a bill to be debated by Parliament on September 16 that, among other things, “establishes a transitional regime for pension increases.”
“As for pensioners, the intersection of the measures contained in the decree-law with the measures provided for in the proposed law constitutes a political hoax,” the party accuses.
The Social Democrats argue that if, on the one hand, the decree-law “assigns to pensioners, in October 2022, an extraordinary allowance equivalent to half the pension”, the proposed law “under the guise of adjusting pensions from January 1 December 2023, which in fact entails the loss in the future of the amount of the pension, taking into account the increase that was already provided for by law.
“With the help of the proposed law and under the illusion of offering a renewal of pensions (an increase from 3.53% to 4.43%, depending on the size of the pension), pensioners will not have an increase in 2023 and in subsequent years compared to what is provided for by law , which represents an inexorable future loss for retirees forever,” they warn.
For these reasons, the PSD justifies the need for parliamentary approval of the Decree-Law “Establish exceptional family support measures to mitigate the effects of inflation.”
Parliamentary expertise allows deputies to discuss, change and, in extreme cases, cancel the decree-law, diploma, administered by the Government and not voted in the Assembly of the Republic.
On Wednesday, the parliamentary scrutiny statement was already made by SDP President Luis Montenegro in an interview with the Hora da Verdade da Renascença program and the Público newspaper, in which he accuses the government of committing “a billion euro cut in the pension system” with the expectation of half board in October.
“The government gives in 2022 what it takes in 2023, evades the government’s obligation to help pensioners with additional income, gives zero,” he said.
The PSD President stated that “the billion euros that the government proposes to pay now will no longer be in the pension system from January 2023, with consequences for all subsequent years.”
The SDP’s goal is for this request to be considered in parliament on September 15, the date the party has already scheduled discussion of its emergency social program, given that these are interrelated issues.
In the same interview, Montenegro says he is ready to help the government develop another solution for pensions.
“I don’t think they can do in the context of pensions what the government has proposed for active people,” he said, referring to a lump sum payment of 125 euros in October for all citizens who earn less than 2,700 Euro. euro gross per month.
While PSD’s decision calls for a monthly support of €40 until the end of the year (only €160) for the lowest pensions, the PSD president says he admits a one-time payment could be made.
“I do not exclude myself from adapting our proposal to the justification of the entire decree, we do not want to change the decree from A to Z,” he said.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
