PSP and GNR platform criticizes Montenegro’s words and says the Government lacks will to increase police officers
The statements made by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro at the end of the PSD parliamentary days regarding negotiations with the police forces have already provoked reactions from PSP and GNR union representatives.
âWe are available to agree on the agreement, not on the valuesâ, warned Montenegro, clarifying that the Government has already made “a terrible effort†and “will not put in another cent†. And he added: “There is one thing that cannot happen, the Government losing the authority to worry about the whole of society, about everyone else. As long as I am Prime Minister, I will be available to resolve everything that needs to be resolved in Portugal, but not to bring back financial instability, suffering for everyone just to fulfill the private interests of some”, said the government official, adding that “it is worth remembering that 300 euros per month times 14 salaries it’s 4,200 euros per year”.
The first reaction came from Bruno Pereira, spokesperson for the platform that brings together PSP and GNR unions, who says that the negotiation “is not being prioritized from a political point of view”.
“If there is a desire and if there is priority, I want to believe that it would be possible to go further to sign an agreement. If this agreement is not possible, I have immense doubts that it can be celebrated or agreed upon, and We will necessarily have to maintain our defense of what we consider the minimum of justice“, he told journalists on the sidelines of the event commemorating the 157th Anniversary of the Public Security Police, which took place this Tuesday in Torres Novas.
The Police Professionals Union (SPP/PSP) was harsher in its criticism and accuses the prime minister of wanting to turn public opinion against the police. In a statement, the union regrets that the Government continues without assigning the additional mission requested by the Public Security Police (PSP), National Republican Guard (GNR) and Prison Guard Corps (CGP) “almost four months since the his inauguration” and points out the “provocative” tone of Luís Montenegro’s statements.
“Since we talk about compensating the risk added to the profession, we consider it provocative for the Prime Minister to point out the values referring to the investment in question, since he has not done so in any other case, in a attempt to turn public opinion against the police, using the police as a political weapon”, reads the released note.
The SPP, which confirmed its presence at a meeting with the Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI) scheduled for the 9th, also criticized the Government for what it considered to be a difference in treatment of police in relation to teachers, because of the agreement reached to recover frozen career time.
Negotiations between the Government and the PSP unions and GNR associations on the attribution of a risk subsidy remain, after three months, without agreement after the Ministry of Administration Interna proposed an increase of 300 euros in the PSP and GNR risk supplement, an amount that would be paid in phases until 2026, increasing the fixed supplement from the current 100 to 400 euros, in addition to maintaining the variable aspect. 20% of base salary.
As a counterpoint, the platform of PSP unions and GNR associations, which initially asked for a 600 euro increase, now proposes an increase of 400 euros paid in three installments: 200 euros this year, 100 euros in 2025 and another 100 in 2026 .
The spokesperson for the platform that brings together PSP and GNR considers that the 300 euros proposed by the government, although “they are not “crumbs”, are still “insufficient”, noting that better budget management would make it possible to support this salary increase.
PSP on duty during police protest during the debate between LuÃs Montenegro and Pedro Nuno Santos in the electoral race for the 2024 Legislatures
Patricia de Melo Moreira
“With all the understanding towards the government forces, we think that 400 euros is perfectly affordable. It is important to have measures that allow us to save money, and this money saving can be allocated to this salary increase It’s a matter of willingness to do more and do something different”, he argued.
Asked about the statements made by Chega’s president, André Ventura, who called on all police and security forces to mobilize in parliament on Thursdaythe day on which the party will present proposals for the sector, the spokesperson defended the civic participation of police officers, including their presence in the Assembly of the Republic to discuss issues about their professional class.
MÃ RIO CRUZ / Lusa
“Civic participation is something that is not restricted to the police and, therefore, for them to be able to go to the Assembly of the Republic to watch a discussion of something that they consider important, does not seem to be to criticize, but rather to praise. It’s a matter of the individual decision of each police officer”, he concluded.
