Portugal's opposition accuse government of planning cuts in salaries

Portugal's opposition Socialists on Tuesday accused the government of planning further cuts in salaries and pensions. "The government pledged to maintain austerity and continues to negotiate further cuts in salaries and pensions," Pedro Marques, the Socialist leader, told reporters. Following a meeting with representatives of the European Commission, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank -- the troika for a bailout, Marques said the troika "refused to reply directly about the nature of the government's proposals for 2015 with the intention of shoving aside the bad news until after the elections." The troika representatives arrived in Lisbon earlier Tuesday for the 12th assessment, the last of its kind, of the country's implementation of the bailout program signed with the Portuguese government in May 2011. The Portuguese government has said that it would cut spending in ministries and lower the number of public workers, but wouldn't increase income taxes or make further cuts in salaries. But Marques said permanent cuts in salaries and pensions were "going to happen." Portugal's trade unions have argued that austerity, as a condition for a bailout from the troika, is taking its toll on the economy.