The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, classified this Sunday (February 1) as “impressive” the set of measures approved by the Government to support families and companies hit by the Kristin depression.
In statements made to journalists in Rome, the Head of State highlighted the diversity and speed of the interventions planned by Luís Montenegro’s Executive.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who is in the Italian capital for official meetings with his Italian counterpart and Pope Leo XIV, revealed that he had already been following the dossier since the previous day, having prior knowledge of the measures that would be ratified by the Council of Ministers.
For the Head of State, the “panoply of interventions” stands out for attacking different fronts of vulnerability. Among the pillars of the plan, Marcelo listed the moratoriums on private debts, Social Security and the tax authorities, which should provide immediate financial relief to affected citizens.
Regarding the most pressing needs, the President highlighted the “immediate support to people regarding the most urgent interventions in the area of housing”. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa specifically highlighted the urgency in repairing roofs and starting the reconstruction of homes destroyed or damaged by the weather.
Focus on the business fabric and European funds
The President also highlighted that the government package does not forget the economic sector, integrating “urgent measures to support companies” and several lines of credit. The Head of State placed particular emphasis on the inclusion of recourse to the lay-offa tool that he considers vital for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that find themselves in a “very distressing situation”.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also highlighted the diplomatic and financial dimension of the support, noting that the Government is already “negotiating with the European Commission” the mobilization of funds and loans that could strengthen the national response capacity to this natural disaster.
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