Cecília Meireles, former deputy of the Assembly of the Republic for the CDS-PP, criticized the approval, supported by the Socialist Party (PS) and Chega, of the end of tolls on the former SCUT, this Monday.

"They could, and should, have done something else. In fact, there are numerous measures that were part of both their electoral programs. It was not by chance that one and the other chose this [measure], it is an obvious choice", she said, on the SIC Notícias program 'Linhas Vermelhas'.

Cecília Meireles also recalled that "it is not by chance that our system and the Constitution state that the budget initiative is only and solely from the Government".

"There is a reason. By choosing this as a symbolic measure, which goes directly to the Government's budget power and the Government's ability to present a State Budget law proposal, it is a serious sign of those who want to condition and prevent the Government from executing its program and establishing itself as an alternative", she warned.

The former centrist deputy admitted that "if Chega and PS want to establish themselves as a joint alternative to power for this Government, and they have a majority for that", they can do so.

"Now, they have to do it with all the cards on the table, it's not by saying 'No, we are all here together voting for everything but then we are the great enemies of each other'. They are when it suits them, the reality is this", she concluded.

On Thursday, Parliament approved in general terms the PS bill to eliminate tolls on former SCUTs with the votes in favor of the socialists, Chega, BE, PCP, Livre and PAN.

In the votes on this bill, PSD and CDS-PP voted against and IL abstained.

After a tense debate with many accusations, the PS initiative to eliminate tolls on sections and subsections of the motorways of the Interior (former SCUT) or where there are no alternative routes that allow use in quality and safety was finally approved, now moving on to the specialty process.

The PS proposal aims to end tolls on the A4 - Transmontana and Marão Tunnel, A13 and A13-1 - Pinhal Interior, A22 - Algarve, A23 - Beira Interior, A24 - Interior Norte, A25 - Beiras Litoral and Alta and A28 -- Minho on the sections between Esposende and Antas and between Neiva and Darque.

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