Chega on Tuesday believed the reshuffle in government shows that the socialist executive is in “an accelerated process of disintegration” and criticized the choice of Mendonça Mendes as Costa’s deputy because he is the brother of a minister.
“The government is in an accelerated process of disintegration, this seems clear to me,” insisted Chega’s president André Ventura in statements to the Assembly of the Republic shortly after the reshuffle in the executive became known.
The prime minister today replaced two of the three secretaries of state under the economy ministry and selected António Mendonça Mendes as his deputy secretary of state, according to a note posted on the republic’s presidency website.
“The President of the Republic has today accepted the Prime Minister’s proposals for the resignation of three Secretaries of State: for Fiscal Affairs, for the Economy and for Tourism, Trade and Services, as well as for the following nomination proposals,” the note says.
André Ventura added that the resignation of the State Secretaries of Economy and of Tourism, Commerce and Services “probably shows that the government is in a somewhat strange phase of dissolution”.
The chairman of the far-right party recalled that the exonerated rulers had criticized the statements by Economy Minister António Costa Silva about a general reduction of the IRC.
“António Costa Silva probably leaned António Costa against the wall. The IRC controversy made it clear that the secretaries of state who spoke out against the minister actually gave more weight to the prime minister. Well, being fired by the prime minister himself is because António Costa Silva said : ‘Either these secretaries of state leave or I leave,'” explained Ventura, who also wondered what the relationship between António Costa, the economy minister, and the finance minister, Fernando Medina, will be like.
According to André Ventura, the prime minister “did not want to risk another crisis with a minister”.
The President of Chega also criticized the choice of Mendonça Mendes as the new Deputy Secretary of State to the Prime Minister, as he is the brother of Deputy Minister and Parliamentary Affairs Ana Catarina Mendes.
“I have the greatest respect for António Mendonça Mendes, in fact, I have had several debates with him in parliament, where his enormous technical and political capacity has always been recognized, and his knowledge especially in the field of taxation. But I think so not, and it’s enough, don’t you think, positive that a minister’s brother coordinates the government,” explained the party chairman.
The choice of Mendonça Mendes as “the Prime Minister’s strongman”, while he is a relative of Ana Catarina Mendes, contradicts the government’s intention to “combat nepotism and complicity” and is “more firewood on the pyre” of affairs in the executive supported by an absolute majority of the PS.
António Mendonça Mendes is leaving the positions of Secretary of State for Tax Affairs to take up the position of Deputy Secretary of State to the Prime Minister, which has been vacant since the resignation of Miguel Alves.
Pedro Cilínio replaces João Neves as Secretary of State for Economic Affairs and Nuno Fazenda is the new Secretary of State for Tourism, Commerce and Services, a position previously held by Rita Marques.
The inauguration of the new holders will take place on Friday, December 2 at noon at the Palácio de Belém.
Source: DN
