Lisbon, April 10, 2026 (Lusa) - Portugal's prime minister said on Friday the government would continue seeking an agreement in the tripartite talks with unions and employers to revise labour laws and make the economy more competitive.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro was speaking at a conference marking the 150th anniversary of the state-owned Caixa Geral de Depósitos Bank (CGD). Portugal’s former president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also attended the event.
"We will continue seeking an agreement with the partners to give labour relations a spirit of increased productivity and competitiveness, to transform the economy into one even more attractive for investment and provide confidence to investors".
Montenegro also noted the civil service salary increases by his PSD/CDS-PP (center-right coalition) governments, and dismissed any electoral motivation for the 39 agreements signed in various areas.
"We are not looking for any medals or electoral credit. Forget that," he said, adding that the goal is to enable public administration to be as competitive as other sectors and better serve people and companies.
During his 30-minute speech, the PM said that it is not enough for Portugal to be a "reliable and stable country."
"We must have rules that are agile enough for the economy to function and show higher productivity levels," he said.
Reviewing the history of CGD, the PM emphasised the importance of a state-owned bank.
"CGD has an inescapable role in the evolution of the Portuguese financial system and an irreplaceable role in the relationship of trust between people, businesses, and our financial system," he said.
Montenegro added that the government considers a bank with exclusively public capital "a fundamental element of the system's stability".
"It is good to better serve people, it is good to better serve companies, and it is good to stabilise the functioning of the financial system itself," he said.
The PM praised the bank as an "element of social and territorial cohesion", as it operates where other banks often do not.
"Beyond numbers there are people, communities, and a sense of cohesion for the whole country," he said.
Montenegro noted that the bank has returned the money the state invested during the financial crisis.
"The money that taxpayers placed here was made profitable and this is a notable achievement by the institution’s management and, indeed, in the management of public finances.” he said.
Before entering the conference, Montenegro met Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. He asked the former president if he was "only swimming" since leaving office, on 9 March.
"Not only that, a few classes as well, but lots of swimming," the former president replied.
SMA/LYT // AYLS
Lusa
