The parliamentary leader of the PSD said on Wednesday that the party will decide “depending on the prime minister’s answers” to the questions posed by the social democrats whether to proceed to a parliamentary committee of inquiry into the relationship with the Bank of Portugal.
“We have never ruled out that hypothesis,” replied Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, asked by journalists in parliament whether he would admit to switching to this parliamentary tool in the future, after the party announced on Tuesday that it had sent twelve questions to António Costa, whose content that Lusa released this Wednesday morning.
The leader of the Social Democratic bank defended that “what is needed at the moment, what was most relevant, was to put a series of questions to the prime minister”, which have already been submitted to parliament and which he hopes will they will be answered “as soon as possible”.
“Depending on the responses, we will make a decision whether to continue this process”he added.
When asked whether he admits to having voted in favor of the proposal for a commission of inquiry on the same issue already submitted to parliament by the Chega party, Miranda Sarmento referred to that decision later.
“It’s a decision we’ll make in good time and depending on the answers to these 12 questions”said.
The PSD parliamentary leader declined to comment on Chega’s suspicions that the Social Democrats chose to ask these questions as a “procrastination maneuver” to protect former and current party leaders in the banking sector.
“Chega has a habit of throwing mud on the discussion, we don’t go after polemics, we go after the facts and what matters to the Portuguese”said.
Joaquim Miranda Sarmento explained that following the book based on the testimonies of the former governor of Banco de Portugal Carlos Costa, the PSD considered that “a series of revelations about the relationship of the Prime Minister of Banco de Portugal in banking” was done.
“Whether it’s the influence the Prime Minister tried to have with the Bank of Portugal for the appointment of engineer Isabel dos Santos in the administration [do BIC]or in Banif,” he explained, saying the party “expects a full explanation of what happened in these two cases.”
In the questions, Miranda Sarmento indicates that the PSD wants to know whether the phone conversation with António Costa reported by Carlos Costa took place – which he considered “almost confirmed” – and “what were the reasons that led the Prime Minister to interpret the rules so rudely? violate”. the independence of the central bank”.
“And how did the prime minister find out about the meeting between Isabel dos Santos and the governor so quickly, what communication channels were there?”he asked, saying the meeting was in the morning and the call was in the afternoon.
At stake, according to the former governor and in a version contested by the prime minister (who has already announced a lawsuit against Carlos Costa for “false and abusive” statements), is a call from António Costa on April 12, 2016 in which the prime minister told him to reportedly that “one cannot mistreat the daughter of the president of a country friendly to Portugal”, in what he understood to be a request to the Bank of Portugal to pay Angolan businesswoman Isabel dos Santos (daughter of the then president of Angola José Eduardo dos Santos) of the BIC administration.
As for Banif, the PSD wants answers to “the purpose and objectives” of the letter sent by the government to the European Central Bank and the European Commission “in default of the central bank and Banif” and what is the relationship of the letter of news, a day earlier, from TVI opposing the bank’s resolution, “causing a run on deposits and the resolution itself”.
The PSD parliament leader indicated that the party also wants to know what contacts the government made with the Directorate-General for Competition and the ECB prior to the resolution, whether there were diligent consultations with potential buyers and whether António Costa was aware of “possible contacts between Santander bank [que veio a comprar parte do Banif] and the then Minister of Finance, Mário Centeno”, current governor of Banco de Portugal.
Under the constitution, it is the power of deputies to “inquire the government about any acts of government or public administration and obtain an answer within a reasonable time, except for the provisions of the State Secrets Act”. .
The Rules of Procedure of the Assembly of the Republic specify that “the government and public administration must respond with the urgency warranting the demand, and the response must not exceed 30 days”.
“When the government or public administration is unable to respond within the specified timeframe, they must inform the President of the General Assembly in writing, stating the respective reasons,” it added.
Source: DN
