The new version of the report by the TAP Commission of Inquiry assumes that the April 26 events at the Ministry of Infrastructure are of “extreme seriousness” and require full clarification by parliament and other bodies.
This was one of 30 amendments proposed by the PCP that was accepted by the socialist deputy who made the report, Ana Paula Bernardo, who also accepted amendments from Chega, BE and PS, but in smaller numbers, a document to be voted on today through the survey to TAP and to which the agency Lusa had access.
“The events that took place on April 26, 2023 at the Ministry of Infrastructure and its developments, which have been the subject of several hearings at the CPI, are extremely serious,” the new version reads.
According to the text proposed by the communists, the fact that these events, “namely with regard to the involvement of the Information and Security Services (SIS), do not fall within the scope that was defined” this Commission of Inquiry “commits the Assembly of the Republic itself , and other bodies, to take the respective initiatives so that there is a full clarification of what happened, the determination of responsibilities and the respective political and legal consequences”.
The new version now states that “also the existence of a meeting on January 17, with the presence of the CEO of TAP and a representative of the Socialist Party, which preceded a hearing in the Committee on Economy, Public Works, Planning and Housing is not covered by this CPI”.
The fact that the rapporteur left out the controversial events at the Ministry of Infrastructure led to criticism from most of the opposition parties.
The aforementioned case concerns charges against Frederico Pinheiro, former deputy of Minister João Galamba, for physical violence at the Ministry of Infrastructure and the theft of a laptop computer, after he was acquitted of “conduct incompatible with the duties and responsibilities” inherent in the exercise of functions.
Controversy intensified when the involvement of the Security Information Service (SIS) in the recovery of that computer was reported.
This episode caused a public disagreement between the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and the Prime Minister over the retention of the Minister of Infrastructure in the government, who offered his resignation, but which António Costa did not accept.
Source: DN
