Double Salary Debate in Portugal: CHEGA Calls for an Urgent Audit on the Social Security System

At a time when everyone you ask on the street is talking about making ends meet and low pensions, news of double salaries hitting the headlines has once again shaken the Portuguese agenda badly. In a country where average pensions barely reach three digits, the fact that former bureaucrats and politicians receive large pensions and continue to receive large salaries from their new positions in the state has created serious discomfort in the public.

The last event that sparked this situation was the situation of former Minister of Health Correia de Campos. When it was revealed that in addition to his pension of over 5 thousand euros, he received an additional salary of approximately 3 thousand euros from his position as health ombudsman, the debate moved to the corridors of the parliament.

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The CHEGA party, which is on the right wing, directly targeted these developments. Party leader André Ventura appeared before the cameras at the party headquarters in Lisbon and said that an urgent and comprehensive audit of the Social Security system should be carried out just before the upcoming State Budget discussions.

Ventura states that they will submit an official resolution to the Assembly of the Republic and wants the picture to be clarified: Who in the state combines astronomical pensions with public salaries worth thousands of euros? To whom did the government open special positions just so that these salaries could be combined? What is the size of the additional funds paid in violation of the legislation in recent years?

According to Ventura, before discussing the sustainability of the system at the budget table, these anomalies that damage the sense of justice of the grassroots citizens must be discussed one by one.

Fire at Party Headquarters and Investigation Agenda

At the press conference, not only salaries but also the judicial processes that CHEGA has been involved in recently were discussed.

Ventura stated that he has not yet received a response to his request to intervene in the investigation into the alleged raid on his office in the legislature. On the other hand, the judicial police (PJ) made an official application to lift the immunity of three deputies, including Ventura, and question them within the scope of an investigation.

Referring to the two fires that broke out at short intervals at the party's headquarters in Évora, Ventura pointed to the fire brigade report and said that all electricity in the building was already cut off at the time of the second fire and that the heat was coming from the windows. Arguing that the incident was definitely arson, the party leader stated that they expect the matter to be thoroughly investigated by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. It is stated that approximately 3,000 euros of material damage occurred in the office, which was rented and had no insurance.

Source: Observador / Lusa / Correio da Manhã (Quoted by: Natasha Donn - Portugal Resident)

Image Source: Manuel de Almeida / Lusa