The PSD will ask to hear from the prime minister’s deputy foreign minister, Miguel Alves, about a promissory note contract he signed when he was mayor of Caminha, which is under investigation by the prosecution. It was released this Monday.
Speaking to Lusa, on the sidelines of the Sentir Portugal initiative, which the PSD president started in Caminha, Deputy João Montenegro said that the request will be submitted to parliament today so that “the Prime Minister’s Assistant Secretary of State to the so as soon as possible to the Assembly of the Republic, so that all parties have the opportunity to put forward any issues they deem relevant”.
“The Secretary of State must leave the Assembly of the Republic with all the clarifications given. After these clarifications, the PSD will take the appropriate political options regarding the request for continuity, or not, in the positions of the Secretary of State,” said João Montenegro.
At stake is a preliminary non-housing lease, approved in 2020, which provided for the construction of a Transfrontier Exhibition Center (CET) at Quinta do Corgo, in Vilarelho, but the project was rendered unfeasible by the land’s heirs who went to court because they disagreed with the proposed sale price.
Under that contract, when the CET was built and the chamber granted the occupancy permit, the municipality committed to rent the space for 25 years. At the end of that period, the municipality would be able to exercise the power of acquisition preference.
The agreement stated that the 300 thousand euros advanced by the college of mayor and aldermen, then headed by Miguel Alves, would be because of the twenty-fifth year rent.
Deputy João Montenegro, who accompanied the PSD chairman today during his visit to the municipality of Caminha, said Miguel Alves’ request for a hearing in the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees aims to “complete clarification” that the official owes “to the country and the Portuguese, regarding their situation”.
“It is a lack of respect that this clarification has not yet been made institutionally and publicly. We are talking about a member of the government who works directly with the Prime Minister. We are talking about someone who is very close to the Prime Minister himself. – Minister he emphasized.
For João Montenegro it is “a serious situation” and it is not because Miguel Alves is “under the skirt of the Prime Minister that the exercise of power can determine everything”.
“In parallel, as happened this weekend, we watched the Secretary of State with a miserable theory of victimization, which is actually regrettable. Instead of giving the Portuguese full clarification, he comes to play this ridiculous role of victimization,” strengthens.
João Montenegro argued that “PSD wants to hear not only the Deputy Secretary of State to the Prime Minister in the Assembly of the Republic, but also at the local level, through those elected to the Municipal Assembly.
“We have already submitted a request to also ask an extraordinary city council to discuss this matter,” he revealed.
On Sunday, in an interview with Jornal de Notícias and TSF, Miguel Alves expressed his confidence in the legality of the process and explained why he had not responded publicly to this controversy before.
“And my first comment was not here, it was with the PGR, through a letter, where I added my availability to provide my clarification at any time on the investigation that was opened about this situation. I can understand my option, a legal , transparent option that defends the public interest in Caminha and also in the country,” said Miguel Alves.
Público reported in the October 26 edition that the municipality of Caminha had made a “dubious advance” of 300,000 euros for the project in question, authorized by the now deputy secretary of state to the prime minister, when he headed the municipality.
On Sunday, in Viana do Castelo, the PSD chairman said, in response to Miguel Alves’ interview with Jornal de Notícias and TSF, that the party will demand “total clarification” of the “strange” case involving Miguel Alves.
Source: DN
