Portugal's opposition party accuses gov't of failing to present accounts before elections

Portugal's main opposition Socialist Party accused the center-right coalition government on Saturday of failing to present its accounts before the general elections.

"The coalition doesn't mention its accounts because it doesn't have any. That's also why the budget technical support unit had doubts about the stability program and why they continue to err in their readings of the accounts of the Socialist Party's electoral program," the Socialist Party's economic coordinator Mario Centeno told Portuguese Lusa News Agency.

He pointed out that four years after the government took office, it presented deficit of more than 5 percent, and the reduction of deficit on that of 2011 was just 0.1 percent.

Centeno stated that the country could see more growth and investment and guarantee that budgetary targets are met in case more suitable policies were put in place.

Portugal faces a tight race with no clear winner on Oct. 4, which will pit Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho against Socialist leader Antonio Costa, the former mayor of Lisbon.

Coelho has insisted that exports and investments are driving the economy which he expects will grow 1.6 percent this year.

Portugal signed a 78-billion-euro (86-billion-U.S.-dollar) bailout program in 2011 when it was on the verge of bankruptcy and has been applying harsh austerity to meet the targets set by its international lenders. Endi