Portugal is still struggling with many economic problems and it will take more than just “waving a magic wand” to solve them, Economy Minister Pires de Lima has admitted during an interview with SIC Notícias.
“People are still paying a high price in terms of unemployment, reduced incomes and tax hikes that resulted from Portugal’s attempt to successfully end its adjustment programme and re-launch the economy,” he stated.
The minister believes the time has come to rebuild the economy and asked opposition parties to be more constructive in their role in this process.
António José Seguro was his main target, due mostly to the way he continuously “disregards the population’s efforts and achievements and the extraordinary dynamic nature of the companies operating in Portugal”.
Speaking of the ever-approaching end to the country’s current adjustment programme and whether Portugal would indeed request a precautionary credit line, the minister was tight-lipped – even though it was widely reported at the end of last week that Passos Coelho had already informed the Troika that Portugal would be ‘going it alone’ once it has completed the terms of the bailout.
“The government should not get ahead of itself,” said Lima. “In April, or possibly May, it will make the decision it finds adequate.”
Portugal will be exiting its financial adjustment programme on May 17.
