Comrades,

Portugal is an impoverished country, with deep injustices and inequalities.

The purchasing power of wages and pensions is languishing; public services (including the NHS and public schools) are degrading; housing is increasingly expensive. The economy is not improving, but the profits of the big economic and financial groups continue to break records. Those who rely on their work to live and who create the country's wealth or have worked during their lifetime, continue to see the results of their labour serving only to fatten the profits of the few.

The country can't withstand lower wages. The country can't withstand the lack of answers to people's problems. We are facing a national emergency and that is why the Party, with boldness and courage, launched the National Action late last September with the motto «Raise Wages and Pensions. For a better life!». A broad action of contacts, mobilization, involvement and participation, in the companies and workplaces, in the streets and squares, in public transportation, schools and markets, everywhere.

The action is proving to be a remarkable success, as the General Secretary of the Party mentioned in his opening speech. In compliance with the guidelines of the National Conference, the Party challenged every worker, every young person, every woman, every pensioner to participate in this campaign of struggle for a better life. And almost 80 thousand Portuguese have already signed PCP's petition, confirming the correctness of this action, the fairness of its contents and the wide availability of many to actively contribute to changing the current state of affairs.

The great receptivity demonstrates a deep feeling of injustice.

It demonstrates the Party's prestige as a force that embodies the alternative, a force of serious people, a force that is respected and trusted.

When we say that we prepare the Congress in connection with life, the example of this Action is paradigmatic. Since September, we have conducted hundreds of contact actions, in a broad movement of clarification and mobilization, in a deeply positive experience.

The Campaign demonstrates that the "media bubble" does not determine everything. That real life and concrete problems are the firm terrain where we must continue to intervene.

The comrades who have already participated know what I am talking about. There are people who pass by us and cautiously refuse to talk. But then, when they realise we're talking about wages, pensions and public services, they turn back and say “for this, yes, count me in.” There are abundant accounts: the female worker without party affiliation who asked for sign-up sheets and collected the signatures together with co-workers; the truck driver who stopped traffic to sign; the various companies where dozens of signatures are collected in the workers' gathering places; and I could continue. Good examples are not lacking!

The Action has also been an opportunity to involve and give responsabilities to new comrades.

In a context as demanding as the current one, the success of the Campaign gives us more confidence and contributes to the necessary deepening of a style of party work that privileges direct contact, street presence and the audacious affirmation of our positions. Our stands, the sounds, the flags, strengthen our presence and our proposals.

Comrades,

I do not aim to provide a definitive assessment of the Campaign. Much has been done, but there is still much to do. In the near future, we will continue everywhere to collect signatures, to discuss and mobilize, certain that the objective of collecting more than 100 thousand signatures until the next Party anniversary will be clearly surpassed.

In this work, the dimension of clarification has great value. Each conversation contradicts the attempt of imposing a single thought. It is part of the ideological struggle, of resistance and affirmation of our project of social transformation. This dimension must be further considered in the work we have before us.

The great significance of handing the many signatures we will collect to the Prime Minister, will certainly be enriched by the many seeds planted in the conscience of those we talked to. And that has an incalculable value for the present and for the future!

Comrades,

In Parliament, they accuse us of always talking about wages, that we can't change our tune. In fact, this attempt at a joke merely recognises the Party's unwavering commitment to the workers and the people. Only PCP can be accussed of such a thing!

And we will not only continue to talk about wages, pensions and public services in Parliament, but especially outside its walls. With the people, with the workers, throughout the country, agitating, clarifying, and mobilizing. Because, with a stronger PCP and the struggle of our people, a better life is possible!

Long live the struggle of the people and the workers!

Long live the XXII Congress!

Long life the Portuguese Communist Party!