Expresso
«Government goes to the mass», writes the weekend broadsheet Expresso which reports on the first Sunday Mass service held by the new Patriarch Cardinal of Lisbon, Dom Manuel Clemente in Lisbon’s Jerónimos Monastery cathedral which was attended by the ‘good and the great’ in Portuguese Government and society. But despite being pressed by waiting journalists, neither Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho nor newly-appointed Vice-Prime Minister Paulo Portas gave any statement to the media about last week’s crisis while the President of the Republic, Aníbal Cavaco Silva, made a point of only talking to members of the clergy. Also at the service at which the Patriarch spoke about the inspiration of the people and those from the north of Portugal in the face of crisis in his sermon, were the President of the Portuguese Parliament, Assunção Esteves, CDS minister Pedro Mota Soares and CDS political commentator Lobo Xavier and the Duke of Braganza.
«Sócrates slams Gaspar, Portas, Passos and Cavaco in RTP TV analysis debate», writes Expresso as the former PS prime minister José Sócrates basked with relish over last week’s government chaos on national TV on Sunday evening. “This was all too much” he said not sparing any of the main players after a week of turbulence, calling the resignations of former Finance Minister Vítor Gaspar and Foreign Minister, Paulo Portas as “irresponsible and degrading.” “I think we’re much worse off than we were”, he said. “This is a continuation of deteriorating political conditions”, he said, which he likened to a “swamp”. Sócrates compared Paulo Portas to a “ballerina who had tripped up” over his own feet.
Público
«Portugal’s new finance minister the target of pressure from Euro countries at her debut in Brussels», reports Público, as Maria Luís Albuquerque heads for her first Ecofin meeting after Vítor Gaspar’s resignation on Monday last week. The newspaper also reports on an article from the Spanish newspaper El País which suggested over the weekend that Brussels is preparing a “soft bailout” for Portugal without the IMF claiming that Brussels is already negotiating a “just-in-case” credit line with Lisbon should Portugal have difficulties in getting finance in the markets next summer, the time when the current ‘troika’ bailout programme comes to an end. Portugal is not officially one of the topics on Monday’s Ecofin meeting – which will focus on Greece – but the situation in Portugal is likely to be of “great interest” as the Eurogroup President, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, stated last week. The meeting comes after the PSD leader and Prime Minister, Pedro Passos Coelho had announced a political understanding with the CDS-PP minority coalition leader Paulo Portas which handed Portas not only the vice-presidency of the Government but also responsibility for coordinating all economic affairs. It remains to be seen how the new finance minister Maria Luís Albuquerque will please the European Commission, European Central Bank, International Monetary Fund and those within the Government.
Correio da Manhã
«Redundant policemen and armed forces personnel living in the street», writes Correio da Manhã, reporting that there are around 600 former servicemen said to be homeless, while the PSP public police are handing out loans with interest rates of 10 per cent. As for the GNR republican guard, which this year lent €3.4m, its creditors are charging an interest rate of 5.5%.
Diário de Notícias
«Minister of Finances débuts at Eurogroup», reports Diário de Notícias, as new Finance Minister Maria Luís Albuquerque heads off to her first Ecofin meeting in Brussels on Monday as minister after Portugal went through a week of political crisis that ended in an agreement to ensure the continuity of the PSD/CDS coalition government. Although Portugal is not one of the main topics on the agenda (that being left to Greece and Cyprus), the situation in the country is expected to be discussed. On Monday it will be down to the new finance minister – whose appointment triggered the resignation of Paulo Portas – to convince her European colleagues that Portuguese tight fiscal and budgetary policy will be maintained despite a major coalition government reshuffle.
Jornal de Notícias
«Around 12,000 Portuguese school pupils in their 4th Grade (aged 9-10) are at risk of flunking their academic year», reveals Jornal de Notícias which reports that they run the risk of not attaining the exam results they need in Portuguese and Mathematics in the second round of exams which begin on Tuesday. Around 12,000 pupils are now having to repeat their exams in which they will have to get passable grades in order to join the 5th Grade. The percentage of pupils that obtained a level 3,4 and 5 “pass” classification stands at around 53% in Portuguese and 64% in maths.
«Brussels is preparing second line of credit for Portugal without the IMF», reports Porto daily Jornal de Notícias citing the Spanish daily “El Pais” which reports that the European Commission is preparing a second bailout for Portugal. Quoting two “high up European Community sources”, the Spanish daily states that the bailout will be a “soft one” and will serve to avoid “a traumatic” transition back to the financial markets for Portugal next summer.
i
«Huge Gay Pride turnout», reports i, as normally conservative Portugal celebrated the 17th annual LGBT event “Arraial Pride” with a turnout of 45,000 people in an open-air Lisbon party with Canadian singer Peaches, popular ‘pimba’ music, drag queens and queerness. This year’s LGBT event beat all records according to the newspaper and according to Paulo Côrte-Real, President of Gay association ILGA Portugal, which has organised the event since 1997. Numbers were up 50% on last year. Last week the baking hot weather, reaching 43ºC in Lisbon, also helped bring thousands out to the city’s main square Terreiro do Paço for the nation’s largest annual livestock and fresh produce picnic which featured a headline concert from Portugal’s answer to Tom Jones, heart-throb crooner Tony Carreira.
Diário Económico
«Portugal triggers a dent in investor confidence in the Eurozone”», says Diário Económico, claiming that investor confidence worsened in July after two months of recovery, because of the political crisis. The research group Sentix revealed on Monday that its index which measures investor confidence in the Euro region, slid to -12.6 in July compared with -11.6 in June, a development that surprised analysts.
Jornal de Negócios
«Political crisis in Portugal has undermined confidence in the Euro», reports Jornal de Negócios, which leads on data from the investor confidence index compiled by Sentix which fell in July as a direct result of last week’s political crisis in Portugal. The index fell after having risen for two consecutive months. A similar reaction had been registered in March when elections in Italy were followed by investor nervousness at Italy’s ability to form a new government at that time.
A Bola
«I’ve come to one of the best (clubs) in Europe», writes A Bola, at Argentinean Lisandro López’ arrival at Benfica, reporting that the player is “happy and full of enthusiasm” at being at the club.
O Jogo
«Ghilas signs and begins his training experience in Holland», reports O Jogo, stating that French-Algerian Ghilas will sign his contract with FC Porto for the next four seasons on Monday morning followed by a pre-season training period in Holland.
Record
Record
«Cardozo wants out», says Record, which states that the Paraguay striker Oscar Cardozo, according to a friend, wants to quit Benfica.