The communist general secretary defended this Thursday that it is in everyone’s interest to clear up suspicions about the use of parliamentary resources to fund parties, rejecting the idea that “the country is a swamp”.
“I think it is in the interest of all parties, and of democracy itself, that these issues be clarified quickly,” said Paulo Raimundo, who believed that if doubts are not cleared up, “a fog is created and everyone gets into trouble the same bag”.
Questioned by journalists on the sidelines of a visit to World Youth Day (WYD) headquarters, Paulo Raimundo said he has not yet been able to understand what is at stake from a legal point of view, but added that, in the case of the PCP, there is “none of these problems”.
“In our case, for example, we have appointed all our advisers full-time or part-time in the Assembly of the Republic, effectively contributing to the work of the parliament. Some from a regional point of view, others from a sectoral point of view, others in that matter or in that issue and so we feel comfortable from that point of view. We don’t have any of these issues,” he stated.
For the Communist General Secretary, there are “some kinds of recurrent situations that have tarnished politics and politicians in Portugal”, emphasizing the need to quickly clear up the doubts raised.
“The land is not a swamp. We don’t think the land is a swamp,” he said.
On Wednesday, the Judicial Police (PJ) mobilized about 100 inspectors and experts to search the home of former PSD president Rui Rio and the party’s national headquarters, alleging crimes of embezzlement and abuse of power.
In doubt, according to CNN, which has been live since the searches began suspicions of alleged misuse of public money, through funds from the Assembly of the Republic that have been defined for advice from parliamentary groups and would be used to pay party officials who would not work in parliament.
Speaking to journalists, in the car, upon arrival at his residence in Porto, former PSD president Rui Rio believed that the purpose of the searches he was targeted was to damage his image, stating that the payments in question “are not unauthorized” and are made in all parties.
Source: DN
