The PS secretary general offered this Wednesday to support the Government in whatever is necessary in the fight against fires, namely legislative changes, and considered that this is not yet the time to draw political conclusions.
Call for Unity in the Fight Against Fires
Speaking to journalists in parliament, Pedro Nuno Santos argued that this is the time for unity and togetherness. He pointed out that it’s not the time to criticize the Government. Santos believes that everyone must be mobilized to fight the fires and support the population.
The secretary general of the PS said that:
I would like to take this opportunity to make the PS available to support the Government in whatever is necessary and also to make the PS available for any legislative and political changes that may be deemed necessary.
Reflecting on Past Actions
He also highlighted how a lot of things were done in the past, by different governments, that went well, and many other things went badly. Santos stressed it is necessary to make a critical assessment at every moment and have the ability to rethink. He added:
A broad consensus is very important and the PS is available for this consensus with the Government.
Avoiding Political Criticism During the Crisis
When asked whether he thought the Government was slow to react to the fires, Pedro Nuno Santos replied: “We are not going to do what the PSD did in 2017.”
He further said that:
This is not the time to be criticizing the Government. (…) We have many questions to ask, but that is not our concern at the moment. Our concern is to be focused – with the entire population, firefighters, political authorities – on fighting the fires and that is all we want to be focused on at the moment.
A Time for Unity, Not Political Combat
Pedro Nuno Santos emphasized that, when the time is right, he will assess the measures implemented by the Government. However, he noted that the priority now is to have the country united in confronting this catastrophe.
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The PS secretary-general criticized the attempt in 2017 to conduct a critical assessment and engage in political combat during the firefighting efforts. He referred to the PSD’s calls for the resignation of then-Minister of Internal Administration, Constança Urbano de Sousa.
He said that:
We are not asking for the head of any minister, as happened in 2017. It is important that politicians assume their responsibilities, obviously – as the current leader of the PSD said at the time -, but that time will come. This is not that time.
Addressing Fire-Related Legislation and Penalties
When asked if he supports extending penalties for forest fire crimes, Pedro Nuno Santos emphasized that this is not the time to evaluate the measures. However, he expressed confidence that much of the effort should be focused on preventing and combating fires.
Pedro Nuno Santos said:
A lot of work has been done, as I said, by different governments over the years, but there is still work to be done and the PS is available to be part of the work that needs to be done.
When asked by the media if he expects the Prime Minister to clarify what interests are overshadowing the forest fires, the PS secretary-general declined to comment, saying,
This is not the right way to do it today.
The Role of Justice in Addressing Fire Crimes
He also emphasized that criminal investigations and the courts are not the responsibility of the executive. Santos explained:
We all expect justice to work and for there to be consequences, and the truth is that this has happened and arrests have increased in recent years. This is a reality that we are aware of and, obviously, the persecution, the punishment of those responsible is a concern for everyone, but obviously it is not the only aspect and it is far from being a central aspect.
Budget Negotiations Unaffected by Fire Crisis
Regarding whether the fires might impact the negotiations or delay the delivery of the 2025 State Budget, the PS leader responded that he thinks they are different situations. He highlighted that:
The Budget has a deadline to be delivered, nothing prevents this from being met and, therefore, we will separate. This is not the time or the day to talk about the Budget.
