Speaking as the 5 largest banks recorded profits of more than 900 million euros in the first quarter.
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Souza said today that he hopes the country’s banks are “aware of the problem” with mortgage lending – and that the Bank of Portugal is also considering the issue of the government acting “on a smaller scale”. peace ” .
Chief’s fears come The country’s five largest banks reported solid first-quarter earningstotaling more than 919 million euros.
Speaking to reporters with this clearly in mind, he said he welcomed the words of the Director General of the Central Bank of Brazil, Miguel Maia (BCP announces a 90% increase in profits compared to the same period last year), which called for “thinking about the conditions, rates and maturities” of real estate loans.
“I considered it a good sign because it is the problem and the inflation that can hinder or delay the arrival of these very good aggregate numbers into the pockets of the Portuguese,” said Marcelo.
Asked if he thinks the government should take more action to help people with a significant increase in mortgages, the president said: “I think it depends directly on the decision of the banks and the monitoring of the Bank of Portugal.”
According to Marcelo, “It is clear that government grants helped a limited number of cases, but there are 1.1 million loans, that is, multiplied by the number of family members, about three million people.
So I would say I hope the banking sector is aware of the problem, and the Bank of Portugal too. And Actions taken by the government regarding the budget will also contribute But on a smaller scale – it’s smaller, for those who really need it, it doesn’t reach everyone who has mortgages,” noting that increasing interest on repaying mortgages is still an issue without clarifying the “exit door,” while banks pay those who “save.” with her “very little”.
Faced with today’s earnings announcement, Marcelo said more than once how encouraged by the words of Miguel Maia, who acknowledged that “the president has a genuine interest in the Portuguese,” and vowed to “see if there’s anything BCP can do to ‘help its customers’.”
On a personal level, Marcelo Rebelo de Souza said that he ” active tenant.
“I have never been a landlord, nor do I intend to stay until the end of my life, but I respect the fact that the vast majority of Portuguese people want to become landlords because this is what they have left as insurance for the future, it is one of the important insurances that they want to leave for the future of their families,” he said. A reference to the latest news Government housing schemes have seen a number of landlords ‘sell’, rather than face the possibility of state intervention.
