The president of the republic promised this Friday to respond in writing to the prime minister on the proposed mechanism for verifying potential rulers, which he declined to disclose and said he had already taken steps in relation to.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, speaking to journalists from the Champalimaud Foundation in Lisbon, reaffirmed on this subject that “the Prime Minister forms the government” and that the consideration of legality and political issues must be done before asking the President of the Republic proposing the appointment of government officials.
On the other hand, the President of the Republic referred that “there are things that are not possible” in a possible verification process: “It is not possible – because the judiciary is independent – to know exactly what judicial life is concerned, because the public prosecutor’s office is autonomous. It is not possible to know which investigations are secret of justice.”
The head of state confirmed that he had received a letter on Thursday evening from the Prime Minister, António Costa, with “a proposal for a mechanism intended to respond in one way or another to the growing scrutiny on the part of the Portuguese and citizens in the general.”. in democracies, making this choice of members of government feasible”.
“Today I proceeded with the steps I deemed appropriate for what was in the letter,” he said. “I will also reply to the Prime Minister – as he used the written form – in writing with my position on the matter,” Prometheus.
Asked about the type of mechanism proposed by António Costa, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa replied: “As usual, the Prime Minister has not disclosed anything, the Presidency Minister has not disclosed anything, I am not the one who received a letter from the Prime Minister” .
“It would be rude if I revealed to the Prime Minister on television what conclusion I have come to,” he added, following a proposal announced by António Costa in parliament on Thursday, following a string of firings of government officials since December.
The most recent resignation was that of Agriculture Secretary Carla Alves, whose joint accounts with her husband have been blocked due to a lawsuit.
Carla Alves resigned on Thursday because she understood she did not have the “political and personal conditions” to take office the day after taking office.
On the same day, Correio da Manhã reported the seizure of joint accounts that the outgoing Secretary of State for Agriculture has with her husband and former mayor of Vinhais, Américo Pereira, information released less than 24 hours after the official took office.
According to the investigation, discrepancies between deposited and declared amounts have been discovered in the couple’s accounts over several years.
Source: DN
