Sol
«Cavaco Will Decide» headlines the weekly broadsheet which points out that it will be difficult to get an agreement for the ‘National Salvation Compromise’ between the PSD, PS and CDS. So far in the negotiations the PSD has accepted early elections, the PS has refused cuts in pensions and State redundancies but has put forward some alternatives. The brokering is dragging on since no single party wants to be blamed for causing a rupture. The PSD, CDS and PS had a long meeting lasting several hours on Thursday responding to the call from the President of the Republic, Aníbal Cavaco Silva, to make a ‘National Salvation Compromise’. All sides gave some ground, but the dividing factors are many. The paper reports that the next step falls on Cavaco Silva but for now Parliament will not be dissolved. Meanwhile no one knows if Paulo Portas will be accepted as Deputy-Prime Minister.
«Itch arrives in the Algarve» says Sol referring to the mysterious contamination affecting parts of the Portuguese coastline and making it impossible to bathe in the sea. The authorities seem unable to explain what is causing the skin inflammation and allergies provoked by the sea water and allegedly tests have so far not shed any light on the matter. As the holiday season gets under way and hundreds of thousands of tourists head for the nation’s most popular stretch of coastline, the pressure is on to find out what exactly is causing the “itch” and make it safe to get back into the water.
Correio da Manhã
«IRS mistakes take one month to fix», writes Correio da Manhã, which says tax authorities will be giving priority for tax reimbursements to those who correctly filled out their tax forms but that 160,000 will probably only get their tax back in September.
Público
«Cavaco opens the door to extending the deadline for a PSD-CDS-PS agreement» reports Público, as the three main political parties, the Coalition PSD/CDS-PP Government parties and opposition PS party fail to reach an agreement leading to a cooperation for the sake of ‘National Salvation’. The National Salvation’ accord was put forward by the President of the Republic, Aníbal Cavaco Silva, who insists that he is open to help the parties reach an agreement but cannot be directly involved in the negotiations. The President made his statements shortly after setting foot on the smallest of the remote Madeira islands known as the Ilhas Selvagens where he has been making a two-day visit to this wildlife sanctuary which has many unique bird and plant species found no-where else on the planet.
Diário de Notícias
«Isaltino is actually in prison» states Diário de Notícias in a story about the maverick and popular yet corrupt former Mayor of Oeiras, Isaltino Morais, who lost a lengthy appeal against his conviction of fraud and money laundering and is serving a sentence in Carregueira prison. Even so, the ex-Mayor of one of Portugal’s richest municipalities has been invited by the current Mayor, Paulo Vistas, to stand as an Independent candidate in the Local Council Elections in September under the election slogan “Isaltino – Oeiras Further Forward.”
«Cavaco praises the struggle against rats and rabbits that are destroying the diversity of nature» in the Ilhas Selvagens which are Portugal’s most southerly territorial assets, actually closer to the Canary Islands than they are to the Madeira archipelago to which they belong. The president wasted no time on getting cuddly photo opportunities with rare wildlife as his coalition Government in Lisbon and the opposition PS party failed to broker an agreement on a ‘National Salvation Compromise’ but did find time to drop his wife, First Lady, Maria Cavaco Silva, a postcard. Meanwhile in Lisbon the newspaper reports that the Prime Minister’s words in a press conference on Thursday appealing for the opposition PS to “separate the waters of opposition” in order to reach an agreement within its own party could “bring the axe down” on the accord.
Jornal de Notícias
«Passos challenges Cavaco and insists on reshuffle» reveals Jornal de Notícias, which says that the Prime Minister is taking advantage of the Green’s no-confidence motion in Parliament to reaffirm his appointment of Paulo Portas as Deputy-Prime Minister which the President has yet to formally accept. Aníbal Cavaco Silva has ruled out a Presidential initiative Government while the stalemate in the negotiations between the main three political parties, PS, PSD and CDS-PP which have been asked by the President to cooperate for the good of the country and for the sake of ‘National Salvation’.
i
«Cavaco puts pressure on parties», reports i, stating that the President of the Republic, Aníbal Cavaco Silva is keeping abreast of the situation in Lisbon despite being on a remote wildlife sanctuary in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean – Ilhas Selvagens. In a smorgasbord of headlines, the paper announces that the Prime Minister, Pedro Passos Coelho, is insisting on having CDS-PP leader Paulo Portas as his Deputy-Prime Minister in the Coalition Government, while leading PS figures are “closing in and tightening the cordon” on Seguro to not sign the ‘National Salvation’ agreement with the ‘Coalition’ Government. PS member Vítor Ramalho is reported as saying “If the PS signs the accord many party members will revolt against its leadership” while another PS militant Isabel Moreira would “Prefer an understanding with the Left. I am a lot closer to the PCP and BE (on this issue) than to the PSD,” she says.
Diário Económico
«Disagreement» reports Diário Económico, as the centre-right Coalition PSD and CDS-PP parties and opposition PS Socialist party fail to find an agreement by the weekend for a ‘National Salvation Compromise’. The political parties will continue to negotiate but at the moment no accord is possible. Cavaco Silva denies a Presidential initiative government as an alternative should a compromise not be reached. In an opinion piece, the former José Sócrates aide, Pedro Silva Pereira, again sets the cat among the pigeons saying that the PS will become impotent if they accept an agreement with the PSD and CDS-PP Coalition Government.
Jornal de Negócios
«POLITICAL CRISIS – “This is a caretaker Government with a Cyclops Task», reports Jornal de Negócios which quotes an interview with economist and university professor António Nogueira Leite, adding that Cavaco Silva has intervened because he was worried about the regime. Negotiations between the PS, PSD and CDS will continue on today (Friday) but there will only be some ease-up on the deficit after the elections.
A Bola
«Sporting making contacts for Hélder Barbosa», as the SC Braga winger is being angled for by Leonel Jardim. The trainer for the Lions has worked with the 26-year-old player in Minho and wanted to take him to the Olympics. Sporting has been following the situation with Pizzi closely, who is about to transfer to Benfica and Barbosa could fill the gap.
Record
«Benfica poaches Pizzi from Sporting», reports Record, as the international Portuguese will sign a contract until 2018. This is the third time this has happened: it was the case with Sílvio, Farinã and now the Madrid Atlético winger heads for Benfica.
O Jogo
«Catching the perfect Moutinho», says O Jogo, referring to the choice of Herrera to fill the crack’s boots at FC Porto which had tried to sign the player in 2012 and January this year. Atsu apologises to the club in an interview saying he was “unfair” to FC Porto and never wanted to put his position on the line at the club when he aimed for the Premier League.