Presidential candidate António José Seguro stated this Wednesday, October 29, that his first year in office, if elected, will be dedicated to saving the National Health Service, which he highlighted as the “priority of priorities”.
“There may be a lack of money in other things, but there cannot be a lack of money for the health of the Portuguese and, therefore, the first year of my term as President of the Republic, if I deserve the trust of the Portuguese, will be dedicated to the priority of priorities, which is to save the National Health Service”he assured, speaking to journalists during a visit to the Central and University Hospital of Madeira, on the outskirts of Funchal.
António José Seguro highlighted that he wants to be “a demanding president” and that he will demand “governments and parties to do what they should, which is to find solutions to respond to the problems of the Portuguese”.
The candidate did not, however, wish to comment on the position defended by the PS that the Prime Minister should dismiss the Minister of Health, following news published today by the newspaper Público, according to which the Executive Directorate of the SNS gave instructions to hospitals to cut spending, even if this means slowing down consultations and surgeries.
“The life of the parties concerns the parties. I am here as a candidate for President of the Republic and my focus is to find solutions so that the Portuguese can solve their problems”, he said.
The former socialist general secretary added that, To solve problems related to health, “it is necessary for everyone to make a pact, make an effort”, otherwise “these problems will always persist” of “lack of money”, closed emergencies and “people go through enormous hardships to have an appointment or to access surgery in time”
“There cannot be healthcare for the rich and healthcare for the poor. And a good National Health Service, a quality National Health Service, guarantees that everyone has access”, he reinforced.
“The country cannot continue to find palliatives, just treat the symptoms, we have to eradicate the causes of the problems that exist. That is the reason for me to return to national public life and make my contribution, if I deserve, as I hope, the trust of the Portuguese, the Madeirans, in this specific case, and the people of Porto Santo”, he highlighted.
Asked, on the other hand, whether the President of the Republic should send the nationality law to the Constitutional Court, António José Seguro said that he had not yet analyzed the decree, but regretted that the diploma did not have the consensus of the largest political parties with seats in the Assembly of the Republic.
For the candidate, “laws with this sensitivity and nature must have the greatest possible consensus”, which is why he regrets “that this consensus has not been integrated into the PS”.
“These are laws that will come into force and will remain in force for many years. And, therefore, a consensus around this law, the greatest possible consensus, is desirable”, he insisted.
António José Seguro was also asked whether he would be different from Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, if elected, to which he replied that “all presidents are different” and that he will be “well aware that the use of the word must provoke consequences and must not be trivialized”.
Seguro was in Madeira on Tuesday and ends today a two-day visit to the region, as part of a month-long tour of the country, which began on Saturday, in the Algarve, with the theme “The future is built with everyone”, to collect opinions and speak to the Portuguese.
This Wednesday, the presidential candidate also met with fishermen and shipowners, visited a company and the Garouta do Calhau association.
On Tuesday, he met with students from the Madeira Academic Association, at the Penteada University Campus, in Funchal, and participated in the presentation of the book “Um de Nós”, by author Rui Gomes.