President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has described as “impressive” the package of measures approved by the Government to support families and businesses battered by Storm Kristin.
Speaking to journalists on a visit to Rome, the Head of State highlighted both the breadth and the speed of the interventions planned by the administration led by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who is in the Italian capital for official meetings with his Italian counterpart, and with Pope Leo XIV, stated that he had been following the issue over the weekend, and was already aware of the measures that would later be ratified by the Council of Ministers.
According to the President, the “range of interventions” stands out for addressing multiple areas of vulnerability. Among the main pillars of the plan, Marcelo pointed to a pause on private debt, Social Security contributions, and tax obligations, which are expected to provide immediate financial relief to affected citizens.
Regarding the most pressing needs, the Head of State stressed the importance of “immediate support for people in relation to the most urgent interventions in the area of housing”. He singled out the urgency of roof repairs and the start of reconstruction work on homes destroyed or damaged by the storm.
Moreover, the President underlined that the government package does not overlook the economic sector, incorporating “urgent measures to support businesses” as well as several credit lines. He placed particular emphasis on the inclusion of the lay-off scheme, which he considers a vital tool for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) facing what he described as “extremely difficult circumstances”.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also highlighted the diplomatic and financial dimension of the response, noting that the Government is already “negotiating with the European Commission” to mobilise funds and loans that could strengthen the country’s capacity to respond to this natural disaster.
Source: DN
