The Prime Minister, António Costa, was not surprised by the d ECISION of finance ministers of the European Union , after all had been expected. Wait now, by the European Commission, there is the “common sense” that lacked the Euro Group and argues that the Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, has. Both António Costa as Minister of Finance, Mario Centeno, refuse a B plan to present to Brussels.
Today’s decision is formal. It has no particular novelty. It simply means that now Portugal and Spain have a period of ten days to present their position and ours is known “, said Costa.
It is unjustified and counterproductive to apply any sanction against Portugal “, reaffirms the head of government.
nothing justifies and nothing the European economy and the euro area benefit from the application of any penalty to Portugal and Spain “, guarantees Coast.
It is with this firmness response, repeated several times also by the Minister of Finance , Mário Centeno, that Portugal will start to “counterattack” to the Commission. And has ten days to do so.
Portugal will contest
Council decision to Face, “which has no particular novelty,” Portugal has a period of ten days to respond. “And that’s what we will do”, also said the prime minister. “Following our response the Commission shall determine the extent of sanctions or the absence of effective sanctions.”
António Costa went further and said that the contacts that has maintained, in particular with Juncker President have been “high level of common sense and therefore I am confident that if we stand firm in the argument we have the result we want,” it will not be any penalties for Portugal.
no plan B or extra steps
António Costa, reaffirmed what he had said this morning the Minister Mario Centeno to Ecofin entrance, the figures already known to the June run show the same sense of May, ie deficit reduction.
a descent that allows the government to believe the 2016 deficit below as desired 3%, “no plan B or extra measures.”
Spain turn and target the same procedure as Portugal has already announced a measure in order to convince Brussels to apply a zero penalty:. tax increases on businesses in 2017
on leaving the Ecofin, the Minister of Finance argued that Portuguese budget execution is “to be followed to the letter” this year and returned to ensure told reporters, “there is no plan B” in 2016. in 2017, the only commitment took it to the document that will manage the public accounts, let alone measures, but in goals.
“There are matters of state budget 2017 known to everybody, economic policy objectives, we reaffirm them “
at the same time, Centeno left the assurance that the next Budget “complies with the requirements and European commitments” and therefore suggests that the “freezing of European funds” (one of the possible sanctions) are meaningless.
All this, in the opinion of the prime minister, still becomes more absurd the Commission’s position – to force any sanctions on excessive deficits between 2013- 2015. – since this is exactly the year that assumes that Portugal can see the light at the end of the tunnel
Costa also says that “even people like me who did not support the previous government, understand that it is unreasonable to think that the Government (steps) did not seek to meet the deficit targets”.
With the ‘ball ‘going back to the hands of the European Commission, which now has 20 days to propose the amount of the fine imposed, the Government also noted that “Europe can not make decisions forgetting that there are great tensions within Europe have to have a political response, “which Mario Centeno expected to arise now.
” the question of the UK referendum, the issue of refugees, are matters that have occupied much time in the Ecofin and the various councils Europeans, and that should be reflected at the time that Europe takes such decisions. this was also a part of the message that we passed because Europe is a Europe of citizens, not a Europe of regulations , and we must always be to respond to what are the ambitions of the people living in Europe. “
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