António Costa guarantees that Government is negotiating the acquisition of a majority shareholding in SIRESP, the discreditied emergency system company whose failures exacerbated the devastating and fatal fires in central Portugal in 2017.
Regardless of the outcome of the negotiations between the state and SIRESP, the Integrated System of Emergency and Security Networks of Portugal, the Prime Minister assured that the old system will not be disconnected and that the country will be protected.
"One thing I can assure you: the old system will not be turned off. I hope both parties will be happy in the negotiations that are due to be concluded today or, if both patties are not happy, there is one thing that the country can not to do without, is the full functioning of a system whose replaceemnt is absolutely essential," said António Costa who was speaking in parliament, during the regular biweekly debate and in response to a question from the president of CDS-PP, Assunção Cristas.
Assunção Cristas pushed the PM on the issue, questioning Costa about a possible "plan B, if there is no agreement between the parties."
Costa said that such a question is not appropriate when negotiations are taking place, “I should not be speaking in public about what the other party should not know."
Cristas said it was a bit late to be in negotiations about SIRESP at the point where the hot weather has started again.
On Saturday, Público newspaper reported that key SIRESP partner, Altice, had threatened to cut the emergency communication system due to a debt of €11 million owed by by the State, announced two days previously.
