Chega’s president appealed on Monday to the prime minister to clarify whether he is available to take a European position before the end of the legislature, saying that António Costa’s words “offer no guarantees to the Portuguese”.
Speaking at a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Lisbon, Chega’s leader addressed António Costa’s statements to the newspaper Público, saying that after the June 2024 elections, he will not be available for office in the European Union.
André Ventura wanted the Prime Minister to be “clear and unequivocal” about his “unavailability to take a European position”, pointing out that “Antonio Costa’s statements not only offer no guarantees to the Portuguese, but also the level of political calculation with which he moves in the waters of politics”.
“António Costa never says that he will fulfill this mandate to the end or even that he is absolutely not available to win elections. This is to reinforce the suspicion that we all have that in Brussels, the name of António Costa is one of the most honorable names for the leaders of the European Council,” he defended.
Chega’s leader stressed that “it was important for António Costa to make it clear whether or not he is available to take any place in Europe over the course of this mandate” and considered that “a breakout from Brussels”.
“The answers António Costa gave heighten and raise doubts that he has that will and that there is an ongoing campaign to appoint him President of the European Council. […] It is up to António Costa to say that under no circumstances will he replace the place that the Portuguese have assigned him with another one in Europe,” Ventura appealed.
In response to the newspaper Público, in response to the news that Brussels will pressure the Portuguese Prime Minister to go to the European Council, António Costa explained that he will not accept any mission that endangers the stability of the country .
“I guarantee stability. I have already explained to everyone that I will not accept any mission that would jeopardize the stability in Portugal. Would I ever jeopardize the stability that I have won so hard?” he wondered.
Regarding the PS parliamentary days, which take place in Madeira between today and Tuesday, the President of Chega considered that the PS “wants to regain some of the political capital in Madeira”, but defended that “Chega is the only party that has the absolute majority of the PSD” in that archipego.
“The PS has damaged Madeira in terms of national administration […]. What I hope is that the Madeirans will not be misled by the socialists and that they will impose a very heavy sanction on the PS in these regional elections,” he stressed.
André Ventura also had an agenda in Madeira today, but it was postponed after flights to Funchal were canceled due to strong winds.
At the press conference, Chega’s leader was also asked about the uprising by the Russian paramilitary group Wagner on Saturday, saying that the Russian president “reaps what he sows” and that what happened “could be the final blow to the stability of the Russian regime led by [Vladimir] Putin”.
André Ventura also believed that NATO and the European Union should “be extremely careful” and “be prepared for any event and even act at some point”.
Source: DN
