Left Bloc coordinator Katharina Martins said this Sunday that the response to inflation requires “decisive action” on energy, housing and food prices.
“If the government wants to control inflation, it has a place to start: putting a ceiling on energy costs,” including “electricity, gas and fuel,” said Katarina Martins of Coimbra.
The blockist leader intervened in the closing of the Socialism 2022 Forum, which has been taking place at Avelar Brotero High School since Friday.
“What will the government do when the price of gas condemns the Portuguese to a colder winter? What does it have to say to those who no longer know how to deal with successive price increases,” he asked.
To citizens, BE “knows what to tell them,” he assured.
“We tell them that they deserve security and justice: lower VAT, lower electricity rents and administrative fixing of consumer prices,” he urged.
According to Katharina Martins, workers “cannot continue to lose purchasing power” and BE understands that “the minimum wage, salaries of civil servants and social benefits need to be updated.”
“The government can do it, and this is the only way to avoid the impoverishment of the general population,” he warned.
On the other hand, it is important to “stop the rise in housing prices,” he said.
“What will the government do when rising rents and bank charges turn the housing crisis into a disaster? What does it have to say to those who are suffering from the loss of their home,” continued the BE National Coordinator.
These people “deserve safety and fairness,” he added, to highlight the need to “set a ceiling of 1% on rent renewals, payment in kind, that makes banks liable for their loans (whoever rents a house to a bank can’t keep paying -la)”, as well as “to prevent the extension of the house itself”.
BE also proposes to executive Antonio Costa and PS to “control food prices”.
“What will the government say when more and more people are unable to access basic food? What can it say to these people, besides temporary and unpredictable help, ”he asked.
The government must ensure “the establishment of reference prices for essential goods, preventing speculation in large-scale distribution.”
“New generations start working in worse conditions than the previous ones, and a career, a salary increase or even a decent salary is a mirage. And this is an attack. Catherine Martins.
In his opinion, “structurally, the choice of the PS is no different from the choice of the liberal [Emmanuel] Macron, President of France.
“And who, like in the movie Nanni Moretti [cineasta italiano]expected to hear “something from the left” from this government, after half a year of an absolute majority they got tired of waiting,” said Katarina Martins.
Young people “are starting to work in worse conditions than before, and a career, a pay raise or even a decent salary is a mirage.”
For the BE leader, “this is a robbery. Unreliability is a robbery. They are robbed.”
“If there is not enough money to pay for the house, it is because you are being robbed and […] if the bill in the supermarket exceeds the salary, you are robbed, ”he believed.
“If you can’t fill a deposit, even go to work, you are robbed. And don’t hesitate: they share the loot with impunity and untouchability,” the BE coordinator added.
Catharina Martins urged the Portuguese to “join forces” against this situation: “If you cannot tolerate a government with absolute power allowing itself to remain in absolute passivity when it comes to choosing between the country and the elite, then join the left.” , join the left block.”
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
