Brasília, July 16, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The leader of the PSDB in the Senate, Arthur Virgílio (AM), said that he was upset by statements made by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Great Britain. From his perspective, the president committed a tremendous insult, criticizing the politics of the US and the war against Iraq, in the presence of his host, the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. "If he's going to open his mouth, he should have stayed at home and followed the example of ex-President Itamar Franco," the Senator advised. He stated that Lula can be hard, but not big-mouthed.

One of the Administration's biggest opponents in the Congress, Virgílio also condemned the attitude of the president of the Portuguese Assembly, João Bosco Mota Amaral, who told Lula to adopt an alternative program. "We don't have to answer to him," the Senator explained.

The Senator expressed his insatisfaction over the proposal to create a mixed Congressional commission to discuss Social Security reform, without first touching bases with the opposition. "We want things to return to home base, so that our information doesn't come through the newspapers," he affirmed. He said that the opposition will see whether the formation of this committee is necessary.

The PSDB leader considers the Administration a box of surprises, which he thinks isn't good for the country. Virgílio said that, at first sight, Lula's image is agreeable, but this phase is transitory. "What is needed is firmness in proposals, predictability in decisions." The senator also criticized the way the government is handling policy. "If we produced social results the way we invent stupidities, we would have an Index of Human Development higher than Norway's," he declared.

The senator used his characteristic irony to define what he regards as an Administration that doesn't know what it's doing. "The Administration is festive in foreign policy, administratively inept, reasonably good in macroeconomics, and chaotic and complicated in microeconomic policy, mostly when it comes to regulatory agencies," he poked. (DAS)

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