Pedro Passos Coelho has confirmed that the government is preparing more cuts but denied that these are contained in a "hidden agenda."
Speaking in Viseu today the PM said, "I could not be more transparent, everyone knows the budget is agreed with target of 2.5% of GDP for 2015."
Over the weekend the Socialist Party had accused the prime minister of concealing the extent of the forthcoming cuts, especially those affecting civil service pay, until safely after the European Elections.
Pedro Passos Coelho challenged the Socialist Party to clarify its accusations,
"If the socialist party acknowledged that in 2015 that salaries and pensions had to be restricted, why insist on asking about these measures that are essential to the balance of the public accounts?"
Passos Coelho said he still does not know the total value of the cuts, adding "The parties who feel that there is a hidden agenda and do not want more cuts, do they want more deficit?"
For the Prime Minister that there are only two choices, and he chooses to make more cuts, rather than extending debt repayments, stating that "there are politicians who still argue that any debt above 60% of GDP should be paid off over 60 years."
