The Prime Minister of Portugal, Antonio Costa, stated on Friday that he welcomes European authorities' concerns about his government's financial plan for this year. However, he also emphasized that he will not fail his countrymen about his commitment on ending austerity in the country.
Antonio Costa, a Parliamentalist, told that his government will be "constructive" throughout the negotiation with the European officials. Together with his staff, he promised that they will "stay faithful" about his commitment on switching the government's focal point from lessening debt to economic augmentation and job foundation.
According to the report of CNBC, European authorities asked the Portugal government to avoid spending too much. The goal is to cut the the debt burden pushed Portugese government to request a seventy eight billion-euro ($85 billion) bailout in 2011. In response for the money which thwarted the country's bankruptcy, Portugal government had to perform a series of spending cuts and tax enlargement that evaluated the economy and pushed unemployment higher.
Despite the fact that the bailout ended in 2014, the past center-right administration persisted with the severity as Portugal is unmoving when it comes to its towering debts. Disillusion with that austerity was a solution voter apprehension in a election last October.
Subsequent to the election, Costa's Socialists were able to form a minority government that depends on the support coming from the Communists party and Radical Left Bloc. They are notifying Costa against stooping to Brussels' demands.
Those labor groups that are close to the Communist party also kept up the demands on Costa with their first strike since the government took over the power. The strike was component of a larger protest to regain the labor privileges that was taken away after the bailout, ABC News reports.
Based on the report of Star Herald, there is an umbrella group that represents more than 600,000 workers demanding to bring back the usual working hours of the workers from 35-hour working week, down from the current 40 hours.
Some nurses and school administrators reportedly joined the 24-hour strike. However, according to media reports from around the country, there are also some school administratives and clerical workers who chose to stay away from the protest.
