Military associations demand the resignation of the Conservative government, which leads the country into the abyss
On 20 March thousands of military personnel in Portugal will take to the streets to protest against the austerity measures and calling for the resignation of the Conservative government. This is a result of the conference of about 500 representatives of various associations of officers, NCOs and soldiers. In the capital Lisbon on Wednesday a letter was adopted by acclamation as part of the protest in front of the government palace São Bento of Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho to whom the letter was presented.
„The country is in danger,“ the president of the officers‘ association (Aofa) said at the meeting. Manuel Pereira Cracel believes that the policy of the government erodes the „fundamentals“ of Portugal, including the armed forces. „The military will be humiliated,“ he added, to great applause of those present. Colonel Vasco Lourenço, who led the discussion of language, which, in turn said, that „the country on the way to the bottom“.
The military in recent years has repeatedly protested against cuts in the social welfare system and has participated in demonstrations and marches. The same happened last Saturday, when military personal took part in the protests. Lourenço found clear words in the direction of the government. „I hope that the policy has common sense to understand the signals that come from the Portuguese society and of military and opts for a change of direction.“
„To hell with the troika“ was the motto under which the Indignados movement claims to have about 1.5 million people located in the small country on the streets. Representatives of the troika of the European Commission, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European Central Bank (ECB) were again in the country to review the implementation of the austerity and privatization conditions which Portugal made in the context of emergency relief 2011 in the amount of 78 billion euros were. Demanded by Portugal are new savings totaling four billion euros.
Lourenços words have special importance in the country and in the armed forces. He was one of the „captains“, on the 25th April 1974 peacefully with the Carnation Revolution overthrew the dictatorship and Portugal brought democracy. Some time left close military from no measures. Therefore, the protesters in the tradition of the Carnation Revolution. They therefore agreed on Saturday the revolutionary song „Grândola, Vila Morena“ to. The aura of the forbidden in the dictatorship song on the radio was the signal for the coup.
Once again made clear how military during the general strike in November last year that the military is on the side of the people. That had to be sworn, and therefore did „not involve the armed forces in the destruction of the country,“ the. The government was accused of selling the country to the international financial markets. Lourenço hopes that the now committed „crimes“ do not remain unpunished, by which he means the high unemployment. Brings a massive depletion in the country with it.
Many military had previously solidarity with the citizens against ever new savings plans, tax increases, cuts of social benefits and wage cuts, in the face of further austerity measures. The government now wants to save 218 million euros in the military. „The pension fund is about to go bankrupt,“ said Luis Reis. The president of the union soldiers (AP) believes that the government has tapped the fund. It is known that the government Coelho has in the last two years shifted billions from pension funds in the state budget in order to reduce the budget deficit with these tricks.
