Ridges: Government puts Portugal “on the radar” for comments as the Schäuble – TVI24

The President of the CDS-PP, Asuncion Ridges, manifested this Thursday concerned about the forecasts of the IMF and argued that attitude of the government puts Portugal “on the radar” for feedback object “less happy” as the German Finance Minister .

“what I like is that Portugal really do not put the radar and do not put in the situation to be the subject of perhaps comments less happy “ , told Lusa Asuncion ridges after a lunch-conference on Brexit at the headquarters of CDS in Lisbon.

the centrist leader criticized that there is a “public conversation taken too lightly” with contradictory statements by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, while there are numbers that are “goals, are real and worrying too much about the performance of our economy. “

” Obviously this lends itself to comments more or less unhappy “ , he said.

ridges also said to have read with concern the evaluation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced on Thursday.

“I do not know if the IMF is correct, we saw the IMF at other times also make projections that are not found. I always look very carefully, but also with great concern. The IMF which tells us today is that we will not grow 1.4% – remember that the government expects 1.8% -., Which were what had predicted, but grow 1% and the deficit will be 3%, ” maintained.

While considering that the Finance Minister Mario Centeno failed to “clarify how will make revisions,” the leader of the CDS appears that “inevitably something will have to be adjusted.”

“I recall that Portugal and Spain received letter from the European Commission to say what they will do if you need to adjust anything from the budgetary point of view. Spain will have answered the government will not respond, or at least not substantially, just was saying that everything is fine and will not need anything else and this week the prime minister said he will not need anything else, “he said .

“once again I feel the prime minister speak very lightly of topics, touching on issues as if they have relevance, both it is in relation to economic growth and in relation to the financial system when it launched the idea that we need a vehicle of EUR 20 billion and then not again explain anything or touch it “ reinforced.

according to Bloomberg, Wolfgang Schauble said on Wednesday at a conference in Berlin that Portugal is asking “a new program” <. / strong> and “go get it” then the German ruler corrected reporters his statements: “the Portuguese do not want and will not need [a second bailout] if they comply with the European rules,” he stated <. / p>

“They have to comply with European rules or you will have trouble,” said the German Finance Minister.

the IMF has revised this Thursday in high forecast Portugal’s deficit this year, from 2.9% to 3.0%, up from 2.2% projected by the government and draw attention to “downside risks”.

“Having in view of these risks, are likely to be more precise measures to support the spending restraint to ensure that the budgetary target this year of 2.2% of GDP [gross domestic product] is reached. In the absence of additional steps, the IMF projects a deficit close to 3% of GDP “, reads the statement of completion of the fourth post-program mission and work under Article IV, published today.

the IMF welcomes the budget commitment of the Government for this year, which remains a deficit reduction to 2.2%, but warns of risks to revenue raising “in a context of weak growth” considering that “may arise pressures in spending in the second half of the year. “