New York, Sept. 23, 2026 (Lusa) - The prime minister acknowledged on Wednesday that the Portuguese economy is currently facing «a reality with two sides», ranging from strong results «that have garnered immense international recognition» to the impact of the conflict in the Middle East on the lives of individuals and businesses.
Luís Montenegro is today in New York on the second of three days of an official visit to the United States to attend the 81st United Nations (UN) General Assembly, and began his schedule with a meeting lasting around half an hour with the organisation's leader, the Portuguese António Guterres, who is due to step down in December.
When asked whether there was a contradiction between the optimism he has shown in the US regarding the Portuguese economy and the «difficult period» he acknowledged in his address to the nation last week, Luís Montenegro acknowledged that «there is a kind of clash between two realities – both of which exist and are being experienced – but which are moving in opposite directions».
«On the one hand, Portugal is a country that currently enjoys extremely high international recognition. And that is no coincidence,» he emphasised.
Montenegro referred, specifically, to his visit to the New York stock exchange on Tuesday, during which the institution's president highlighted the Portuguese economy as «an example within the European Union because it is combining higher economic growth with a balanced budget, lower taxes and a drive to cut red tape».
«We have seen an enhancement in wages both in terms of their actual amount and through a reduction in the tax burden. We have supported businesses and helped retain human capital. And that is very positive and needs to be communicated to the Portuguese people, because it builds confidence that is not merely rhetorical, but is sustainable,» he said.
However, he conceded that there is «another reality, which is also very real», caused by the impact of the war between the United States and Iran.
«We are all experiencing first-hand – every Portuguese citizen, every Portuguese family, every Portuguese business, every Portuguese institution and organisation – an unjustified rise in the cost of fuel. And this, naturally, unlike the first aspect, generates not optimism but apprehension», he acknowledged.
The prime minister considered that it will be necessary to «deal with both aspects».
«It is not a contradiction, but it is, at this moment, a reality that has two sides, two aspects that are different», he stated.
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