Speaking to reporters upon arriving at the Adega Regional de Colares, where he was to participate in a meeting of the Sintra Business Strategy Council, Pedro Nuno Santos was asked about the new proposal made by the PSD and CDS on personal income tax (IRS), which increases the tax reduction in the 3rd and 4th brackets.

In his response, Pedro Nuno Santos said he hoped that the PSD parliamentary group "is willing to move closer to the PS", emphasising that it was the Socialists' proposal that was approved in general terms in parliament, not the government's, which "had to be downgraded to specialty without a vote".

"Therefore, it is important that there is humility on both sides: we are willing to make concessions, but it is very important that the PSD understands that it is very far from an absolute majority and that it really has to negotiate in parliament", he argued.

Asked if he expects the negotiations to be based on the PS proposal, rather than the PSD's, Pedro Nuno Santos replied: "The PS has also made a new proposal. We are starting from the assumption that the PSD has made a proposal as if there had not already been a PS proposal".

The PS leader stressed that he hopes that "the parties will come closer together, with the certainty that the proposal that was approved in parliament, which was feasible for approval in parliament, was that of the PS, not that of the government".

"Therefore, there has to be humility here: the government does not have an absolute majority, it has the same number of deputies as the PS. Therefore, if it wants an agreement with the PS, it has to take seriously what the PS has proposed and the counter-proposals that the PS will make", he stressed.

In these statements to reporters, Pedro Nuno Santos once again argued that the government should present the studies that are the "basis for the announcement of the increase in movements per hour at Lisbon airport", stressing that this is an issue that has not been assessed by the independent technical commission.

"This is very important to ensure that the government actually makes informed and considered decisions. I am not saying that it should not be reinforced, I am saying that, before we make decisions, they should be studied, assessed, considered, substantiated and this apparently was not the case", he argued.

Regarding the proposals presented by Chega and the Liberal Initiative for a committee of inquiry into the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, Pedro Nuno Santos said that the PS must assess them before making a decision, but stressed that, as a general principle - and not in this specific case - he believes that parliament should not "become a permanent parliamentary committee of inquiry".

Pedro Nuno Santos also criticised the dismissal of the SCML ombudswoman, Ana Jorge, stressing that she was dismissed "with allegations that turned out to be false" and regretted "that a minister uses slander to carry out a purge".

"It leaves us with little doubt that it is a political purge and this has happened on several fronts: we are talking about mandates that are being interrupted, without a clear explanation of the reasons for these replacements", he said.

The PS leader also said that he had gone to the Adega Regional de Colares to discuss the economy, considering that "unfortunately this is something that has not yet been done since the legislative elections".

"This is really the most important issue for the country and for national development, and from politicians in general, and the government in particular, we have heard nothing so far, and I wanted to make that point", he added, in statements in which he refused to comment on the content of the meeting he had this week with the prime minister, Luís Montenegro.

On Wednesday, the PSD presented a draft bill to replace the government's proposal on IRS, increasing the tax reduction in the 3rd and 4th brackets and increasing the 6th bracket, also paving the way for the annual updating of the brackets.

The announcement of the PSD's new proposal was made during the fortnightly debate with the prime minister, with the leader of the Social Democrat parliamentary group, Hugo Soares, stating that the aim of the new text is to bring it closer to the proposals of the PS, Chega and BE.

[News updated at 19:36]

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