The president of the republic promised this Friday that he will not be closed down at the Palácio de Belém following this week’s controversy, that he will maintain an intensive agenda and closely monitor all government and parliament legislation.
After visiting the exhibition “The Oceanographer Friend – Alberto I of Monaco and Portugal (1873-1920)”at the Museu de Marinha, in Lisbon, with Prince Albert II of Monaco, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa answered some questions from journalists.
However, the head of state declined to comment on the support the Prime Minister, António Costa, gave him regarding his statements about the number of sexual abuse complaints in the Portuguese Catholic Church: “On this matter, what I had to say yesterday said [quinta-feira]. It has been said, it has been said.”
However, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa assured that he will not close the Palace of Belém after this controversy: “I never lock myself in the palace. I naturally think that the role of the President of the Republic is to be with the Portuguese, which means that I must always and as often as possible be at economic and social initiatives.”
The president of the republic said he will “continue along the same lines” and recalled the message he sent to parliament on Wednesday morning proposing to review the current legislation on incompatibilities and impediments to political office holders.
“I will follow closely all legislation coming out of the government and the Assembly of the Republic. And I will continue on this path, it’s my style, it’s my way of being, it’s the style of my presidency”promised.
He addressed journalists and added: “We will continue like this, taking advantage of your attention and your critical judgment while always staying very close to the Portuguese.”
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa took the opportunity to press for the request for a review of the incompatibilities legislation to “to bring together laws that have been many since 1983, there are many, many, many and very intertwined, to have clear legislation on such an important issue”.
According to the head of state “it must be considered, because it corresponds to a legal concern, namely clarity of the law, as the Office of the Attorney General (PGR) says, and on the other hand to a political concern, namely clarity of the law to political clarity”.
“It is for the reflection of parliament”said.
Source: DN
