PCP criticizes "little benefit" in IRS and warns: "Slice" is destined for IRC

" Let's agree that, in the Prime Minister's view, the greatest leap in tax justice is apparently the reduction of corporate income tax for large companies. That is the main measure. The rest is just for us to entertain ourselves here talking a little about this or that benefit, this or that sweet. The lion's share, the lion's share, we know who the tax reform is aimed at," criticised Paulo Raimundo.

The communist leader was speaking to journalists at the Book Fair in Lisbon, after today, in Luxembourg, the Minister of Finance, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, said that he hopes that parliament will approve the reduction of Personal Income Tax (IRS), worth 500 million euros, so that it comes into effect from September, as happened in 2024.

When asked whether lowering taxes for the middle class is not important, Paulo Raimundo responded that "it is very important but it needs to be reduced further", and made a general criticism of the fiscal policy of the PSD/CDS-PP minority executive.

Paulo Raimundo rejected the idea that the 500 million reduction is a small amount but highlighted that the XXV Constitutional Government's programme foresees a reduction in IRC corresponding to five billion euros.

"This is the question. If the Government gives us a carrot, will we all go after the carrot? No, we have to look at things as they are," he criticized.

One day after the Prime Minister met with Chega and PS about the NATO summit, which will take place next week in The Hague, Netherlands, Paulo Raimundo was asked what he would say if he had been summoned and how he saw Spain's announcement, which rejected the target of 5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in military spending, which should be proposed to the allies.

The PCP's general secretary began by criticizing "the quadrature" that came together in the Assembly of the Republic to reject the motion of rejection of the Government's program presented by the communists, formed by the Democratic Alliance (PSD/CDS-PP), PS, Chega and IL.

Regarding the meetings with Chega and PS, Raimundo considered it "logical" that the Prime Minister did not call the PCP.

"He would never call us for a conversation like this, for two reasons: one because he knew what we were going to say, and the second because he also called them because he also knew what they were going to say," he replied.

The communist described as "crazy" that the country is considering reaching 5% of GDP in military spending, highlighting that Portugal has "two million people in poverty, two and a half million workers who earn up to a thousand euros, 800 thousand people earning the national minimum wage, one million retirees who earn up to 510 euros in pensions, emergency rooms closed and schools without teachers".

Insisting on criticizing the "madness of the arms race", Paulo Raimundo said he could help the Prime Minister write a letter, like Spain, indicating to NATO the refusal to reach 5% of GDP, but he left him with another suggestion.

"Apparently the Prime Minister is going to the NATO summit. It's a good opportunity," he concluded.

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