State Budget 2019’s (OE2019) main headlines so far

The negotiations for the fourth State Budget of the current government have started, and these are some of the main headlines ECO has covered so far. As we are getting closer to the date of delivery of the State Budget for 2019. Salary raises for professors, reduction of VAT on electricity bills, public investment, national health system and early retirements are some of the topics being discussed.

VAT on Electricity bills                                                                                                                                                                                             

• 24th July: Geringonça already is planning a reduction of VAT on electricity bills
• 28th July: Left guarantees lowering the VAT
• 4th September: BE wants energy VAT to go down to 6%, gradually

FENPROF’s requirements for (professors’) salary raises

• 23rd July: Centeno claims that OE2019 is for everybody, not just a few                                                                                             
• 23rd July: BE and PCP say that teachers already had “help” in the OE2018                                                                                   
• 18th August: Professors call for BE and PCP to reject the OE2019                                                                                                   
• 11th September: A quarter of the spendings with career progression in the public sector go to Professors

State Budget Negotiations                                                                         

• 30th July: PCP claims to be “under no obligation to approve OE2019”
• 31st July: Rio also thinks the left will approve the OE2019                                                                                                             Carlos César, parliamentarian leader of the Socialists thinks the negotiations are positive and they are not a “treasure hunt”   CDS believes “left” will be ready to accept OE2019
• 11th August: PM wants the Social cohesion agreement accepted in the parliament
• 6th September: OE2019 will have many measures aimed at pleasing BE and PCP
• 10th September: CGTP wants 4% salary increases                      

Monthly pass reduction                                                                                                                                                                                                 

• 4th September: Prices will be lowered on the first or second quarter of 2019

Incentives for immigrants to come back to the country                                                                                                                                         

• 31st August: Personal Income tax (IRS) will reduce by 50% for those coming back            

Pensions   

• 15th September: The Government is negotiating early retirements for OE2019

OE2019 should not be planned as part of the electoral propaganda 

• 21st September: Centeno says the government will act “responsibly”, not endorsing electioneering
• 23rd September: Teodora Cardoso claims that there will be a lot of “acting” in the OE2019 negotiations, as parties need to show they’re not agreeing with each other completely.