Lisbon, Sept. 2, 2025 (Lusa) - The Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) on Tuesday presented a series of initiatives aimed at increasing support for farmers and producers affected by the forest fires and strengthening the rights of firefighters, considering that the proposals announced by the government are insufficient.
"The measures announced by the government are insufficient to deal with the scale and consequences of the forest fires. And it is with this in mind that the PCP is presenting a bill to reinforce the urgent measures to support the victims of the fires, extending support and filling in gaps that the PSD and CDS governments were unwilling to respond to," the PCP's parliamentary leader, Paula Santos, said today at a press conference in parliament.
Among the Communist bench's proposals is an increase in the maximum ceiling for exceptional support for farmers to compensate for losses, to €15,000, instead of the €10,000 proposed by the government, even in undocumented cases.
In addition, the PCP wants support for those who have lost their sources of income, namely "farmers, workers or pensioners", as well as the granting of exceptional support for those who have been left in a situation of proven economic need, which can be accumulated with other support, and with a minimum duration of one year and a possible extension.
Paula Santos also criticised the PSD/CDS-PP government for not having addressed "a single measure" to firefighters in the package announced last month at the extraordinary Council of Ministers.
Stressing that the firefighters have been tireless, the leader of the Communist bench recalled that in July the PCP had already presented a bill aimed at recognising the profession of firefighter as one of rapid wear and tear, allowing these professionals the right to early retirement, more holiday days and a hardship allowance.
In a new initiative, the Communist MPs want to extend the rights of these professionals, including financial support for students, exemption from paying legal costs or reimbursement for access to care homes for firefighters with at least 15 years' service, as well as for their spouses and first-degree relatives in the ascending line.
The Communist MPs want the missing forestry sapper teams to be created, pointing out that a target of 500 was set around 20 years ago. Currently, there are only 415, and the obligation for an urgent intervention in the identification of post-fire procedures, "which ensures the urgent stabilisation of soils, the removal of wood, the care of affected wild animals, the control of weeds, the protection of water lines, as well as the reforestation of affected areas".
The PCP is also presenting two motions for resolutions (without the force of law) proposing extraordinary support of €50 million for the humanitarian firefighters' associations that are part of DECIR (Special Device for Fighting Rural Fires) and the acquisition by the state of the aerial resources needed to fight the fires.
Asked about the fact that the government has announced its intention to review the organic law of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), Paula Santos pointed to cases of mismatch and disarticulation between organisations. She considered that "there are indeed aspects that are not right in the organic law and in the Civil Protection system".
"Now we need a review that will actually solve the problems," she emphasised, giving as an example the creation of a national fire brigade command.
Paula Santos also announced that the PCP would be submitting two parliamentary hearing requests to hear the AGIF - Agency for the Integrated Management of Rural Fires, and the ICNF - Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests, to the parliamentary Agriculture Committee.
ARL/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
