Portuguese Veterans Demand €50 Monthly Allowance & Reforms
The National Association of Overseas Veterans (Associação Nacional dos Combatentes do Ultramar) has called on the Portuguese Parliament to replace existing annual subsidies with a fixed monthly allowance of 50 euros for all former combatants, regardless of their length or location of service.
Challenging ‘Outrageous Injustices’
Testifying before a parliamentary working group for the National Defense Commission on Tuesday, association president António Maria Dinis Ferraz criticized the current “Special Pension Supplement” system. Currently, veterans receive an annual payment every October ranging from 75 to 150 euros, calculated based on time spent in high-danger zones.
Ferraz dismissed the current payout as a “harvest subsidy” and highlighted what he called “outrageous injustices” in the law. He noted that many veterans served in extremely hazardous operations but receive smaller payments simply because their deployment didn’t meet specific, rigid legal timeframes.
A Realistic Approach to Social Justice
When questioned by Chega MP Raul Melo—who noted his party’s proposal to raise supplements to 300 euros per month—Ferraz maintained a pragmatic stance. While acknowledging that some others have called for as much as 500 euros, he emphasized the need for a realistic baseline.
“I have always liked to keep my feet on the ground and know what is possible,” Ferraz told deputies. “I know what is fair; what is possible depends on the country’s wealth or social justice. For us, the big problem is whether the Ministry of Defense is willing to trade 100 million euros for an F-35 fighter jet for a 50-euro payment to former combatants.”
Concerns Over Healthcare and Bureaucracy
Beyond direct financial support, the association addressed the government’s recent initiative to provide free medication to veterans. While Ferraz praised the move as a “step forward,” he pointed out significant limitations.
He explained that the exemption only covers the cost of the cheapest generic version of a drug. If a veteran requires a specific brand or if a more expensive alternative is prescribed, they must still pay the difference. “Contrary to what people might think, there is no exemption on all medications,” he clarified.
The president also used the hearing to demand an expansion of the official definition of “former combatant” to include those who served in Macau, Timor (prior to the Indonesian invasion), Cape Verde, and São Tomé and Príncipe. Furthermore, he blasted the Ministry of Defense’s administrative support, complaining that at the “Defense One-Stop Shop,” the phones simply “ring, ring, ring” without any response.
Image: Pexels – Joel Santos
