"The social security system plays an essential and irreplaceable role in guaranteeing the economic security of all people, active and retired workers and their families, and is a crucial instrument for combating poverty, inequalities and social exclusion and for maintaining social cohesion", said the General Confederation of Portuguese Workers --- National Intersindical (CGTP-IN) in a statement released today. Even so, the CGTP regrets that the system has been "under constant pressure for several years" and states that it is being compromised by demographic factors -- such as the ageing of the population and the decline in the birth rate --, but also by the generalisation of job insecurity and low wages. To these factors, which result in less revenue from contributions and an increase in expenditure on benefits, are added "the pressures coming from the private sector, in particular the insurance sector", which the CGTP says wants to extend its intervention in the desirable area of social protection". The CGTP also says that the new Government, resulting from a coalition between the PSD and CDS-PP, "does not hide its intentions". "The threats have not disappeared, quite the contrary, with the rise to power of the current Government, which does not hide its intentions, stating expressly in its programme that the solution for the social security system, in particular the public pension system, involves its privatisation, at least partial, the risks to public social security have increased exponentially", stresses the CGTP. Thus, the CGTP calls for alternative financing to be sought to safeguard the sustainability of the public social security system. "The great challenge currently facing the public social security system is to guarantee its effective financial sustainability, maintaining its integrity, without distorting the principles of labour and intergenerational solidarity on which it is based", stresses the agreement. The CGTP believes that the way forward does not involve reducing social contributions (TSU) or financing the system through taxes, or capping or any other form of total or partial privatisation of social security. "We will not accept any cuts or reductions in the right of all citizens, current or future generations, to full protection in the event of illness, old age, disability, widowhood and orphanhood, unemployment, support for the family and in any other situation of lack or reduction of means of subsistence or working capacity, within the scope of the public social security system", stresses the CGTP in the statement. Read Also: Socialists of the CGTP absent from the Social Concertation for the 1st time in 37 years (Portuguese version)