The Socialist Party (PS) has denounced the Regional Government's "total insensitivity and inaction," accusing it of refusing to lower the Tax on Petroleum and Energy Products (ISP).
According to the socialists, this stance further burdens citizens in a region already facing the highest cost of living in the country. Célia Pessegueiro, president of PS-Madeira, expressed concern over the "financial suffocation" of families and businesses, exacerbated by rising fuel prices, which have a "contagion effect" on essential goods and services.
The PS argues that reducing the ISP is a matter of "political choice and will," criticizing the use of regional autonomy solely for tax collection and investments like golf courses and cable cars, rather than direct support for the population. The socialists also labeled recent business support packages as "propaganda," as they merely involve the application of existing EU funds.
