Pedro Passos Coelho was speaking at the inauguration in Braga of the new premises of the company Primavera Software.
“If we want to have more money to spend on public policies, we can’t spend so much on interest, but so as to not spend so much on interest we must reduce our debt, we have to keep putting money aside,” he said. “That’s why the coffers are being filled to pay the debts of the past.
“That has to be a priority for the country because without it we will not have more money for health, for education, for science, for welfare, for sovereign functions.”
According to the prime minister, Portugal has now got past the worst of the crisis and the government “is now ready to deal with other situations” that might arise in future. The situation is, he said, “incomparably more hopeful”.