Portuguese slam austerity measures

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=128316§ionid=351020605



Thousands of Portuguese public and private sector workers have protested austerity measures enacted by the government to avert a Greek-style debt crisis.

People took to the streets of the capital Lisbon on Saturday to denounce the plan that includes salary cuts and a freeze on public hiring. The protesters demanded that the government devise a long-term strategy instead to avoid the crisis in the country.

The General Union of Workers claims nearly 300,000 people joined the march in the Portuguese capital with placards and banners reading "Stop the rise in unemployment", "No to austerity" and "Those responsible for the crisis should pay for it."

The government's tough economic plan for the public is meant to soothe investor concerns over the country's creditworthiness and to fight debt contagion from Greece.

Portugal seeks to cut its budget deficit to 7.3 percent of the gross domestic product this year from 2009's 9.4 percent and then gradually reduce the deficit to 2.8 percent by 2013.

Manuel Carvalho da Silva, the Secretary General of the Confederation of Portuguese Workers (CGTP) says that the union is planning to escalate protests against the financial cutbacks. His union has left open the option of calling a general strike.

"We are committed to all the forms of resistance the constitution allows and (we) will decide on their timing and form depending on the government's actions," Carvalho da Silva said.

The CGTP believes that the austerity measures benefit investors at the expense of workers.

The government survived a confidence vote called earlier this month by the CGTP's political allies, the Communists, over the austerity program.

Portugal's second largest trade union confederation, the UGT, which is closer to the Socialists, refused to join Saturday's demonstration.

"There was no alternative" to the package of austerity cuts," AFP quoted Prime Minister Jose Socrates as saying.

"The truth is that the situation on the financial markets completely changed the rules of the game," he added.

According to the premier, Portugal must produce results by the end of the year.