The head of the list for the Left Bloc (BE) for the European elections, Catarina Martins, spoke on Thursday about the electoral act of the 27, which will be held in a month.

Questioned about the possibility of the bloc losing a member of the European Parliament due to the increase of the Far Right in the territory, the bloc member showed herself to be "confident". "Of course the result of the Far Right in Portugal and in the rest of Europe worries not only the Left, but anyone who thinks that Human Rights are a good thing. Who understands that the policy of turning people against each other does not bring anything good to anyone", she began by considering, in an interview with CNN Portugal.

Emphasizing that despite the fact that the BE parliamentary group has remained, the number of votes for the party of which she was a former coordinator has increased and also pointing to the return of the party's representation in Madeira, Catarina Martins observed: "I see the Bloc recovering and I hope that this path can continue in the European elections".

Catarina Martins stated that the objective of the Bloc's candidacy is to achieve the "best result we can have" and that it would be important to maintain the two members of the European Parliament.

"If it has always been true that so much of our lives is decided in Europe, this mandate that is coming will be fundamental", she considered, exemplifying not only with climate issues but also with the issue of peace.

Confronted again with the rise of the Far Right, Catarina Martins pointed out that these forces create "conflicts every day", while the Bloc tries to defend rights related not only to housing, but also to mobility or wage increases. "That is what matters to us. And Europe will be fundamental for this project too", she pointed out.

Emphasizing the "extraordinary" work of Marisa Matias and José Gusmão in Brussels, Catarina Martins considered: "It is important that the Left Bloc maintains this capacity for intervention in a larger parliamentary group. Everything indicates that the Left group in the European Parliament may grow. It is a green, social Left group, which is gaining more strength from other countries and this will be very important for the challenges that lie ahead".

Government started with "victimization". CSI? "PSD announces this measure when it knows that Parliament will approve it"

Catarina Martins also spoke about the "investment" of religious groups in the Far Right that did not exist, as well as the exploitation of this force through "lies" that cause indignation and "controversies". "Riding the wave of this indignation and these controversies, they gain immense public space, not only on social media, but also in the media. Never has any force had so much space for ideas that, in fact, are nothing more than lies and the creation of false problems", she argued.

Asked about whether, in the event of a possible victory for the Social Democrats in the European elections, the situation could give the Social Democratic Party 'a break' to the extent that the Government would be strengthened, the bloc member argued: "I do not think that the PSD is under stress in its governance because of the result [of the legislative elections]. I think that the PSD had a strategy at the beginning of the term that seems wrong to me, which was more than having a proposal and creating a Government solution, it was to oppose the Opposition. It is a victimization strategy. The Government is very committed to trying to prove that it has more obstacles than it is committed to creating solutions". And the former BE coordinator exemplified her 'thesis' with the measures approved this Thursday, namely, in relation to the Solidarity Supplement for the Elderly.

"It is good news. I am glad that there is progress - the Bloc has been presenting this proposal for a long time. And I think it may indicate a change in the PSD. Because the PSD announces this measure when it knows that Parliament will approve it. So, it decided to move forward, instead of being forced by Parliament - because both the Left Bloc and the Socialist Party's proposals were there, with conditions to be approved. I think that perhaps the PSD thought it was time to be less angry with a Parliament, which, in fact, what it is approving - without the PSD - are the very promises that the PSD made in the electoral campaign", she pointed out, alluding to the fact that this measure is not included in the electoral program of the Democratic Alliance.

And the Socialist Party?

Confronted with a possible "negative coalition" of the Socialist Party with Chega, an expression used in the issue of eliminating tolls on former SCUTs, Catarina Martins rejected the idea of there being a negative coalition. "Coalitions are positive when they serve the interests of the country. I think, for example, that IRS measures can be very important in the name of the country's interests", she said, speaking about the negotiations between the PS and the PSD regarding this tax, where she "hopes" that measures conquered by the Bloc for young people when applying for a housing loan will not be withdrawn.

"I saw André Ventura vote three times, in less than 24 hours, differently on the same proposal on a very important problem in the financial system. What I am saying is that we already know that we cannot count on that party for anything. If from time to time they vote on proposals from other parties - sometimes even from the Bloc - I would say: a stopped clock is also right twice a day. Chega does not count for what is responsibility or creating a solution", she accused.

Emphasizing that even before the legislative elections she warned of a problem that the Right faces, Catarina Martins specified: "The enormous fragmentation of the Right and the absence of a project for the country of the Right is a problem. But, now, the responsibility is the PSD's, and it has to find solutions".

And what about the controversy over reparations for former colonies?

The issue raised by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, regarding the reparation of former colonies was also a topic during the interview. Catarina Martins argued that the head of state "raised a fair issue in the wrong way" and that Portugal has already made historical reparations, exemplified by the Sephardic Jews. "And it did well to do so", she said, adding that the issue of reparations is being discussed throughout Europe.

"I would even say that the inequalities that remain today in Portuguese society with people who are left out still come from that history. There is so much reparation to be done even within the national territory - so that everyone has living conditions. But also in the relationship with the countries", she indicated, considering that it was necessary to do the opposite of what has been done so far - and arguing that the discussion should be carried out in a "serene" manner.

"I do not think that Portugal needs reconciliation. There are problems, imbalances, inequalities, which need to be addressed and it is necessary to react to them. I do not think it is bad that there are processes, as there are in other countries of the European Union, for example, where scholars of culture, archeology, museology from various countries come together. And they try to understand which cultural objects are in one country or another and should be in their countries of origin", she explained.

[News updated at 23 hours]

Read Also: "It will not happen". Temido assures that he will not leave the EP to be mayor (Portuguese version)