Block devalues ​​alert the IMF and defends job creation – Jornal de Negócios – Portugal

A spokesman for the Left Bloc, Catarina Martins, today devalued the alert IMF counseling Portugal to develop a “contingency plan” to meet the deficit, saying the country needs is to create jobs.

“I do not remember good advice that the IMF has given to our country, as far as I remember, in recent years, the IMF has the time to give advice that were followed in a hurry, by PSD and CDS and what failed was destroy the economy, increasing public debt and produce a terrible unemployment, “he said.

Catarina Martins, who was speaking to journalists in Elvas, in Portalegre district, on the sidelines of a visit to the Fort of Grace warned that Portugal “has a problem” and that it is related to job creation.

“Portugal has a big problem deficit yes, it’s the job, we need to create jobs and this requires investment “.

the IMF warned that the deficit will be at 2.9% of GDP this year, above the government target without additional measures, advocating so a” contingency plan “that includes postpone the end wage cuts and surcharge.

in the report after the conclusion of the third mission of foreign aid post-program monitoring released today, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) states that “in the absence of further measures, estimates If a deficit around 2.9% of gross domestic product (GDP) this year, “a forecast that is 0.7 percentage points above the 2.2% deficit anticipated by the government.

Considering that there are “significant risks to the implementation” of the state budget for 2016 (OE2016), particularly with the expected revenue from indirect taxes, the IMF urges the executive led by António Costa to formulate a ” contingency plan “.

” the government needs to prepare a specific set of contingency measures to be activated as soon as there is evidence that the goal of 2.2% for the budget deficit will not be met ” says the institution led by Christine Lagarde.

Before the warning from the IMF, the spokesman of the Left Bloc said that “perhaps the height” of Portugal instead of “getting too frightened” to transmit, “treat” of its economy, employment, “to” investment, “bet” on knowledge, culture, science, and to develop work in the area of ​​urban renewal that can “create much” job.

at the same, he added, is also time to “streamline” sectors such as knowledge, science, culture and even the tourism sector that are “too essential” to the country’s economy.