The Finance Minister stated that he does not foresee any challenge to the increase in higher education tuition fees. Regarding the Health budget, he acknowledged the possibility of needing more capital this year but assured that payments will be made within 60 days starting from 2027.
The minister explained that the budgetary cut in Health occurred due to the need to reinforce funds in the previous year to settle payments to suppliers. This situation will not be repeated next year, as the sector will comply with the European 60-day rule.
During the interview, Miranda Sarmento mentioned that, although he did not detail REN's dividends, the State will be present at REN's General Assembly in May of next year. He considered the entry into the company's capital a good deal but stressed that the main factor was Portugal's position as one of the few European countries without participation in such companies, which became crucial given geopolitical changes and their energy implications.
Concerning GALP, the minister guaranteed that the Government is in dialogue with both companies to preserve the GALP refinery as a national strategic asset. Regarding BCP, Miranda Sarmento stated that it was not a topic discussed by him, referring to it as a 'complete surprise.'
Miranda Sarmento revealed to Antena 1 and Jornal de Negócios that he only learned about the feasibility of the State Budget (OE) after the socialist Secretary-General, José Luís Carneiro, addressed the issue in an interview. In the program Conversa Capital, the Minister praised the responsible stance of the Socialist Party (PS), arguing that it would be 'inexplicable and irresponsible' for there to be a deficit due to negative coalitions between PS and Chega o País, given that the four conditions set by the PS were met.
Despite being questioned by Antena 1 and Jornal de Negócios, the minister did not specify whether he was willing to govern with a deficit budget. Regarding the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), he highlighted that all projects originating from the PRR were approved by Council of Ministers resolutions, and are therefore adequately framed.
Concerning Portugal Transformation, Recovery and Resilience (PTRR), Joaquim Miranda Sarmento pointed out that there is a table in the State Budget with 267 million euros allocated to reconstruction, which he found to be 'a bit hasty' in the PS's statements. Although he admits inflation as a problem, he does not believe the Government's projection will change and promised to adjust the Executive's action according to circumstances. However, zero VAT on essential goods is ruled out.
In this interview, the minister also expressed the expectation of an upward revision of nominal GDP, an estimate that INE will update in March of next year, which could affect public debt. Regarding the possibility of including debt limits in a future constitutional review, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento declared that he was not favorable to such a change, citing rigidity and lack of freedom for those who govern.
In response to Mário Centeno's criticisms of the State Budget, the Finance Minister rebutted, stating that it is up to the former government to better detail the presented figures. The interview was conducted by Rosário Lira of Antena 1, and Paulo Ribeiro Pinto of Jornal de Negócios.