Strengthening support for resilience!

I want to express my deep solidarity with the families and companies affected by the storm that devastated our country.

Extreme weather phenomena, increasingly frequent and intense, have caused very significant damage. The business sector, particularly in the affected areas, faces interruptions in production, difficulties in supply, large material losses, abrupt drops in turnover and loss of orders, in an already demanding economic context, marked by international uncertainty and structural challenges, worsening the fragility of entire sectors.

I recognize the importance of Government support to mitigate negative impacts. However, the initially approved amount, in the order of 2,500 million euros, appears to be clearly insufficient given the real scale of the losses. The Government itself admits the need to increase this value to around 4 billion euros, which confirms the magnitude of the economic and social impact of the storm. It is essential that this support is quick, unbureaucratic and adjusted to reality on the ground.

This situation highlights the difficult balance between supporting families and companies and maintaining the health of public accounts. Fiscal rigor is a fundamental asset for the country’s external credibility, market confidence and macroeconomic stability. However, excessive spending restraint at critical moments can result in the irreversible loss of productive capacity, participation in the international market and commercial relationships built over decades by companies that are true engines of the national economy.

Not adequately supporting these companies represents a high cost for the country in the short, medium and long term. The loss of exports, investments and skilled jobs weakens the economic base, reduces future tax revenues and compromises sustainable growth. Supporting these companies should not be seen as an expense, but as an investment in Portugal’s economic resilience.

It is necessary to plan and prevent, through investments in resilient infrastructure, risk management systems and public policies that promote adaptation to climate change. Prevention is not only a collective responsibility, but also a strategic investment to protect the economy, companies, employment and, consequently, families.