Portugal and the fallacy of "illusion"

When we watch portuguese televisions, newspapers and websites, we feel that Portugal is going through a period of economic development and confidence, after facing austerity years.

After the international financial crisis, Portugal is one of the eurozone countries with the lowest price evolution rate. The Socialist government seems to be living in a "cocoon" of convenient lies seeking to deceive citizens, by systematically releasing government-friendly statistical data on sensitive matters as unemployment or proclaiming the lowest democracy deficit (a trend already existing since 2013). Some international media such as "The Economist" align in these "good results" so well propagated by the socialist machine. Sometimes the other leftist parties belonging to the government support this thesis, often contradicting their core principles, while other times they prefer to berate and remember negatively the recent austere right-wing government. In fact, austerity was the conductive line of the right-wing government during the crisis years. Unfortunately, it forgot that associated with austerity it should have promoted the investment and consequently the economic growth. However, the current leftist government seems to be making the same mistakes the previous Socialist government led by Jose Socrates made. The national debt continues to grow, resulting in a lack of confidence especially by international investors. That is why it charges higher interest rates than to other countries. This week it was observed that families double weight in state debt ( they hold about 12% of direct state debt).

Portugal urges for a deep structural reform, which certainly doesn’t follow a “random policy”. This left-wing government is generating over the citizens a big "ilusión" that will cause bitterness for the next crisis.

The Portuguese - European Union relationship also has to be rethought, especially in this current international context.

 Lisbon is currently one of the most attractive tourist spots in Europe (the "amusement park"), and this is undoubtedly good news, but one must not forget some economic figures released by complacent media does not hide the gradual decline the country has lived since the beginning of the century. The President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa current concern with begging which we all praise, should not be forgotten, If nothing changes, the global scenario for the near future isn’t so shinning as some people foresee. The so-called portuguese "miracle" is a fallacy.

Miguel Verde