There is a significant difference between doing politics in the parliament in Lisbon or in the parliament. European? People’s perceptions of the work done in the European Parliament are different and this makes the importance of the European Parliament and its impact on people’s lives very obvious. Sometimes for good reasons, sometimes for bad reasons, but lately we’ve had examples of both. I think that any MEP has to work harder than national MPs, these are their own communication mechanisms.
Because? Nowadays, a lot goes through social networks and materials created for networks. Once I was a people’s deputy, but today I invest much more in my own means of communication, as well as in the means of the Blok. Communication with the media in the European Parliament is much more sporadic, although improved. Journalism is a pillar of democracy, and the delivery of information to people largely depends on it. I think there are a lot of things that need to change in the way parliament communicates.
For example? The website of the parliament and the commission is very poor, it is very difficult to navigate in it for a citizen who, so to speak, does not know the corners of the house. I think there is an opportunity in the institutional communication of Parliament to convey a very unanimous opinion on this. A vision that practically projects the idea that we’re all in agreement here. It is very focused on the decisions of the European Parliament and not on debates, conflicts and disputes.
If someone asks you what you did that had a direct impact on people’s lives, what would you say? There I talk about all my work in the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, and the most important reports I worked on were the disability strategy and the European Semester Report on Employment Policy, which focused on things that are in the spotlight in Portugal . . For example, the issue of collective bargaining, the issue of instability, it is very interesting that this report on employment policy, approved by a large majority, contained many of the priorities that led to our disagreement with the PS. In particular, the issue of collective bargaining: I think that the recommendations that were included in the report, even after being approved by the Council, are very different from what was at a certain point the paradigm of the work of the European Union.
Paradigm? Today there is a slightly different opinion about what labor legislation should be than a few years ago. In fact, at the time, the Commission and Parliament itself put strong pressure on Member States to deregulate their labor markets. This had very negative consequences that we are now seeing, especially in terms of the ability to respond to the surge in inflation that we are seeing. And then there’s the question of care policy in the European Union, because we’re facing an aging population, which puts a lot of pressure in terms of care.
What is the dispute about? There is a big political choice between whether we want to build the backbone of the welfare state and robust public services that are responsive and make access to care universal for everyone, regardless of their wallet, or whether we want to build a care industry that is sure to deliver a different quality. caring for people based on their income. The question is whether care will be understood as a universal public service or as a business.
For example, a bad deal, say, economic management? In the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, I dealt with these issues of economic management. That is the question of the deficit and debt rules and whether they will be changed. For example, Portugal is now at a historically low level of public investment due to existing fiscal rules. Not only because of this, but also because of the national governance options. No one is forcing the Portuguese government to have such a low level of investment because the rules are suspended, hence it is the political choice of our government. We need other rules to protect countries’ ability to develop economic development strategies.
With other tax rules? The Tax Committee discusses a number of issues related to tax fairness, in particular, the fight against fraud and tax evasion, especially in large companies. Another vote we have just taken is on a resolution on opportunistic vetoes on the European Union’s ratification of the OECD tax treaty on multinational companies. This is a crucial issue for ordinary citizens, because for several decades there has been a tendency to reduce the level of taxation for multinational companies and companies in general. A regime has been established in which states compete to attract company headquarters and collect tax revenues related to the activities of these companies, even if these activities are carried out in other countries. This competition, which I classify as a form of theft of tax revenue from one state to another, has led to even more tax cuts for companies.
Theft? Yes, because the corollary of this is that the tax burden needed to provide public services and public investment falls more on labor income to offset this reduction in corporate taxation. But can people understand that these are two different models and that the European Parliament cannot be compared with the national parliament? There are aspects where the rules are different and I would prefer them to be the same. For example, this is a question that I often encounter with people who come to me with concerns about this or that problem.
And tell me? People tell me, for example, that we should offer this or that, which would be absolutely normal in Lisbon. But in the European Parliament, since it does not have a legislative initiative, we do not have such an opportunity. When we explain this to people, we struggle with some bewilderment. There is a certain opinion that the parliament has the right to block events, but it is not necessary that they take place. I think it’s better, but more for practice than for formalism.
But there are trade-offs. The European Commission is currently under no obligation to respond to these parliamentary requests. What has happened in practice is that the European Commission has taken on the obligation to always respond. That is, to accept proposals that should not follow the proposal of Parliament, but should be consistent with the purpose of the legislation.
Doesn’t this devalue the role of MEPs here? No, because the European Parliament continues to have power over proposals from the Commission. I think that there are often aspects of the work of the parliament in which it is limited in its actions, and I’m not just talking about legislative initiative. The European Parliament should carefully consider the recommendations that the European Commission sends to countries, which in many cases run counter to the democratic mandate of the democratically elected governments of those countries. Moreover, they sometimes even contradict the thematic reports that are approved by the Parliament and the Council on these issues. When I talk about the Commission, I also talk about the European Central Bank. Because the ECB has an independent status, which, in my opinion, it should not have.
For what reason? The ECB can under no circumstances be an institution operating independently of the democratic authority of the European Union. In fact, this is the position we also take with respect to national central banks. Monetary policy is a fundamental area of economic policy and it makes no sense for it to go completely beyond the most basic supervisory functions and go completely beyond democratic control. Moreover, the ECB itself can claim to exceed its powers, as it was in the troikas.
That is? The ECB has nothing to do with the development of state programs for member countries, this is not within its competence, it is not within its powers. However, he did it anyway, and triplets were completely illegal under Community law. In fact, reports from the European Parliament later emerged acknowledging that the decision was not particularly Catholic, although other terms were used.
So, the deputies are insured against liability? Not really. Citizens can hold me accountable for what I have done in all the proposals in which the parliament speaks, and not only in the proposals of the committees in which I am …
But… But it is true that if it can be very unpleasant when I am talking to a citizen who tells me that I must propose this or that, but I must explain to him that I do not have such power. There is also some consolation for members who do not want to take responsibility for the lack of initiative in a number of areas. In other words, I think that the power to legislate for parliament would be additional powers, and with that power would come additional accountability, which I think is highly desirable.
And is there a correspondence between the positions advocated in Lisbon and those advocated here? It is necessary to point out the discrepancy, both when we talk about issues of national competence, and when we talk about issues of European competence. For example, if the PS says in Portugal that the rules of economic management should be changed and this is a European competence, it is important to know that subsequently the report with a review of the rules of economic management, which does not have a corresponding transformation, votes here, which leaves everything as it is, and the only what is changing is the attribution of even greater discretion to the European Commission in overseeing the activities of states. And we don’t need more leeway, we need different rules that don’t get suspended every time there’s a crisis.
And the government? I know the government is worried about what will happen in terms of raising interest rates and reopening economic management rules, and the combination of the two for an over-indebted economy like Portugal is extremely serious. . What is coming for the Portuguese economy is very serious.
Method Media Bermuda will present the documentary FABRIC: Portuguese History in Bermuda on Thursday, December 29 at the Underwater Research Institute of Bermuda.
A spokesperson said: “Method Media is proud to bring Bermuda Fabric: Portugal History to Bermuda for its 5th and 6th showing at the Bermuda Underwater Observatory. In November and December 2019, Cloth: A Portuguese Story in Bermuda had four sold-out screenings. Now that Bermuda has reopened after the pandemic, it’s time to bring the film back for at least two screenings.
“There are tickets Ptix.bm For $ 20 – sessions at 15:30 and 18:00. Both screenings will be followed by a short Q&A session.
Director and producer Milton Raboso says, “FABRIC is a definitive account of the Portuguese community in Bermuda and its 151 years of history, but it also places Bermuda, Acors and Portugal in the world history and the events that have fueled those 151 years.
“It took more than 10 years to implement FABRIC. The film was supported by the Minister of Culture, the Government of the Azores and private donors.
“Bermuda Media Method [MMB] Created in 2011 by producer Milton Raposo. MMB has created content for a wide range of clients: Bermuda’s new hospital renovation, reinsurance, travel campaigns, international sports and more. MMB pays special attention to artistic, cultural and historical content.
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Maestro Filipe Cunha, Artistic Director of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Braga, has been invited to conduct the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra, as announced today.
According to a statement sent by O MINHO, “he will be the first Portuguese conductor to conduct this orchestra in its entire history.”
In addition to this orchestra, the maestro will also work with the Lyceo Mozarteum de la Habana Symphony Orchestra.
The concerts will take place on 4 and 12 March 2023 at the National Theater of Cuba in Havana.
In the words of the maestro, quoted in the statement, “these will be very beautiful concerts with difficult but very complex pieces” and therefore he feels “very motivated”.
From the very beginning, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 will be performed by an Italian pianist (Luigi Borzillo), whom the maestro wants to bring to Portugal later this year. In the same concert, Mendelshon’s First Symphony will be performed.
Then, at the second concert, in the company of the Mexican clarinetist Angel Zedillo, he will perform the Louis Sfora Concerto No. 2. In this concert, the maestro also conducts Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony.
“This is an international recognition of my work. An invitation that I accept with humility and great responsibility. I was surprised to learn that I would be the first Portuguese member of the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra. This is a very great honor,” the maestro said in a statement.
“I take with me the name of the city of Braga and Portugal with all the responsibility that goes with it, and I hope to do a good job there, leaving a good image and putting on great concerts. These will be very special concerts because, in addition to performing pieces that I love, especially Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky, I will be directing two wonderful soloists who are also my friends. It will be very beautiful,” concludes Filipe Cunha.
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