Hugo Soares was speaking to journalists in parliament to accuse the PS of being "a blocking force" to the reduction of the IRS and to welcome the agreement reached between the Government and the majority of teachers' unions, when he was asked about today's discussion, in the leaders' conference, on how to reconcile the freedom of expression of the deputies with "red lines" in relation to speeches considered xenophobic or injurious.

"The PSD has chosen not to make any comments since Friday until the leaders' conference: I believe that the Portuguese who work, who study, look at this debate and must sincerely think that we have nothing else to do", began by saying the parliamentary leader of the PSD.

Hugo Soares said he preferred "to see the country discussing the salaries of teachers, doctors, the reduction of taxes": "Does anyone here think that democracy is in crisis or about to end? No, what there is is a constant discrediting of the institutions", he said.

Specifically on the incident on Friday that triggered this debate -- when the leader of Chega stated that the Turkish people "were not the most hard-working in the world" -- the social democrat downplayed it, saying that "it was an episode like so many others that have happened" and defended that the parliamentary debates "are today much more elevated than they used to be".

"It is true that the President of the Assembly of the Republic is right, he is not a censor to suppress freedom of expression, who should make this judgement are the Portuguese", he said, considering that this matter "is not an issue".

Asked if the PSD will propose any amendment to the Rules of Procedure, after Aguiar-Branco suggested the possibility of creating a vote of repudiation or rejection in the face of an insult or injury, he answered negatively.

"We do not have any amendment to the Rules of Procedure to make (...) I think that the Portuguese would laugh at parliament if we were to entertain ourselves in the coming times making amendments to the Rules of Procedure on things that mean nothing to the concrete life of the Portuguese", he said.

Hugo Soares also said that he had not received any report of any deputy being insulted or threatened and, if it happens, he will advise that the crime be reported so that "justice can be done".

The parliamentary leader of the PSD resumed the criticisms made this morning by deputy Hugo Carneiro in the Budget and Finance Committee, after the PS postponed the vote on the substitute text of the PSD and the CDS-PP of the Government's proposal to reduce the IRS.

"Because that is what the PS is postponing its position, what is the PS afraid of? With tricks and delaying tactics, the PS has transformed itself into a blocking force, not to the Government, not to parliament, but to the Portuguese", accused Hugo Soares, regretting that it is not possible to "lower taxes now for the middle class".

The parliamentary leader of the PSD also wanted to welcome what he called a "historic agreement" reached on Tuesday between the Government and the majority of teachers' unions on the reinstatement of frozen service time.

"Public school is not defended with words and proclamations, it is defended with actions", he said.

Read Also: Teachers? "Historic because it is a good agreement for public school" (Portuguese version)