Portuguese PM expects no constitutional issues for promulgating the 2018 Budget

  • ECO News
  • 18 December 2017

The Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa says he has been studying the Budget and that he hopes "it will reach the Belém Palace this Tuesday night or Wednesday morning".

The Portuguese prime minister António Costa has stated he doesn’t expect any issues with the 2018 State Budget constitutionality, before promulgation.

“I do not expect there will be any constitutional problems”, stated António Costa, after having been asked by journalists about the promulgation of the 2018 State Budget by the President of the Portuguese Republic, who should decide on the document between this Thursday and Wednesday (December 19 or 20).

The Portuguese prime-minister emphasized that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has “all the personal and institutional competences to evaluate the matter”, and that the Government will “act accordingly”.

The President of the Portuguese Republic stated he has been studying the document — which he stated was more complex than the previous State Budgets presented by the Socialist Government — and that he will decide on the final document between this Tuesday and Wednesday.

The President stated this Sunday that he would finish reading the final version to be published on the Diário da República (the Portuguese Official Gazette). “That means I will be able to decide about its promulgation between the 20th and 21st of December”. concluded the President.