PSD deputies calling for an extraordinary meeting of the Social Democratic bench after the searches appealed to the party not to devalue issues of justice, with several defending a parliamentary hearing of the Republic’s Attorney General.
At the meeting, which still takes place behind closed doors, one of the most critical was the Vice President of the Assembly of the Republic, Adão Silva, who even spoke of a “modern auto-de-fé” against former PSD president Rui Rio, who was searched last Wednesday, as well as the national headquarters of the PSD, and even asked “who wants to set fire to the party”.
According to reports to Lusa, former vice-president of the PSD André Coelho Lima spoke in a late “timing” of the parliamentary leader, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, who did not speak until Friday, justifying the request for an emergency meeting of a group of 30 deputies, in which the is included.
Coelho Lima believed that there was a tactical silence, going so far as to speak of “hypocrisy and lack of courage”, supporting Lucília Gago to give an explanation in the Constitutional Affairs Committee.
The proposal for a hearing by the Republic’s Attorney General – who “did not guarantee the rule of law” – was primarily made by Deputy Maló de Abreu, who defended that “issues of law should become a priority for the PSD”.
“Politicians out of fear, strategy, tactics keep their pants down. I hope we don’t,” he appealed.
Former parliamentary leader Paulo Mota Pinto was among those who defended that the PSD cannot devalue issues of justice, warning that if this happens, the party will leave the investigation of this matter to the PS.
Mota Pinto also defended that at the conference of leaders on Wednesday, the PSD should support the public request for an explanation made by the President of the Assembly of the Republic to the Prosecutor’s Office and, if not given, that a parliamentary hearing is being held. asked Lucília Gago.
the parliamentary leader Joaquim Miranda Sarmento responded almost individually, rejecting that the PSD had devalued the issue, summing up the party’s various reactions since Wednesday, the day when the judicial police mobilized about 100 inspectors and computer and financial experts for a series of 20 house searches, including the home of former PSD president Rui Rio and his national headquarters party, in an investigation conducted by the Lisbon Regional Department of Investigations and Criminal Procedure (DIAP), on suspicion of embezzlement and abuse of power.
After the party complained by letter to the Prosecutor General of the Republic on Thursday about the “major disproportionality” between the acts performed and the subject of the investigation, the argument was repeated the following Saturday by President Luís Montenegro.
However, on Monday, after an audience with the president of the republic, Montenegro refused to go back on the subject, saying it would not be diverted from topics “that matter to people’s lives”.
The Social Democratic leader admitted that justice is one of those central themes, but said he did not want to hide – “following a regrettable episode” – what he believes are “the needs and desires of the Portuguese” in areas such as health, education or housing.
Source: DN
