The Minister of Infrastructure gave assurances today that the new platform of the Social Mobility Subsidy (SSM) will not require tax and social security declarations from citizens, adding that the changes underway are in line with the concerns expressed by the President of the Republic.
Miguel Pinto Luz assured that the validation of any debts to the Tax Authority and Social Security will be done automatically by the State, without the need for the beneficiaries to present documents.
“The State cannot go around demanding from its fellow citizens documents that it itself holds,” said the minister, stressing that this is a principle that must be ensured.
According to the minister, the electronic platform is being adjusted, taking into account the observations made by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa when approving the decree-law that changes the subsidy regime.
“We are changing the platform in the sense of the recommendations that the President of the Republic made in his comments on the decree-law,” he said.
Miguel Pinto Luz assured that, as of February, the system will no longer request any documents from beneficiaries. “In February, the platform will not ask any citizen for any document. We are on the platform, we place the tickets, and we are reimbursed in record time,” he said.
“Until then, the platform will not ask for anything,” he said, adding that this position has already been clarified by the Ministry of Finance in parliament. The minister also stressed that the new model will allow faster reimbursements and lower costs for beneficiaries compared to the previous regime.
“We also pay less than we did before, because this Government is the Government that has reduced tariffs the most.
On the 17th of December, the Council of Ministers approved amendments to the decree-law that defines a new model for the attribution of the SSM, intending to ensure the non-interruption of the service after the entry into operation of the electronic platform.
The new regime provides for the obligation to submit a declaration of non-existence of debts to the tax authorities and Social Security, a requirement that was the subject of criticism and on which the President of the Republic left observations when the diploma was promulgated.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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