PSD deputy Joaquim Pinto Moreira said this Wednesday that he does not feel politically belittled, but assured that he will face political consequences depending on the “conditions” of a possible constitution as a defendant under Operation ‘Vórtex’.
“At no time will I harm my party or the chairman of my party or the chairman of the parliamentary group, because they are people who are absolutely alien to this process,” he said, assuring that he has “an absolutely pure conscience”.
Speaking to journalists in the Assembly of the Republic, the former mayor of Espinho between 2009 and 2021, Pinto Moreira said that he had already spoken with PSD President Luís Montenegro, informing him of the consequences he will take as the process has developments.
Repeatedly asked if he will admit to resigning as vice president of the PSD bank and chairman of the constitutional review committee, Pinto Moreira always referred to “the conditions” in which he can eventually be appointed as an arguido in this process.
He repeated to journalists information that he had already shared in a statement on Tuesday, namely that the judicial police searched his home and seized his professional computer and mobile phone and no other documents.
“I have absolute peace of mind and I do not feel diminished at all in my ability and ability to develop my role as Deputy of the Assembly of the Republic,” he assured.
On the other hand, Pinto Moreira reiterated that he is “absolutely available to cooperate with justice at the time and in the way justice sees fit”.
“If a request for the waiver of parliamentary immunity comes to this House, I will not resort to that immunity at all and will immediately agree to access to the trial,” which he currently does not have, saying he is not on the is aware of facts that are attributed to him.
Asked whether the formation of an argument will automatically lead to his resignation from his position on the bench, Pinto Moreira has not made any commitment.
“Being an arguido, depending on the conditions in which this constitution of an arguido is made, I will draw the necessary lessons. Be sure that my basic principle for me is to protect my party, of which I have been a militant for 40 years, years,” he affirmed, saying that both Luís Montenegro and the parliamentary leader, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, know “the consequences” that he will withdraw “according to the facts” attributed to him.
When asked if he doesn’t feel he would weaken the PSD leadership, he replied: “No, not at all”.
“Everyone knows my long-standing relationship with Luís Montenegro, we come from the same country, we have friendly relations and even in the name of that friendship I will know how to act accordingly,” he said.
With regard to the request for the waiver of immunity, the deputy said that he had not yet been informed.
At around noon, Lusa questioned the chairman of the Transparency Commission, socialist Alexandra Leitão, who said she had not yet received any such request.
The Social Democrat says he is not “the epicenter” of Operation Vortex
The deputy reiterated that he is not “the epicenter” of Operation Vortex, said there are detainees in the process and their procedural situation is “different”, and expressed his belief that he would see the first effective meeting of the Constitutional Review Commission.
The mayor of Espinho, Miguel Reis (PS), an associate of the latter and three businessmen were arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of active and passive corruption, subterfuge, abuse of power and influence of Operation Vortex, sources report to Lusa. .
On Tuesday, Espinho chamber chief of staff Nuno Cardoso told Lusa that “the investigation essentially focuses on urban operations carried out in the previous legislature,” a version disputed by Pinto Moreira, who led the municipality between 2009 and 2021.
“I do not have this information, but assuming that the investigation is carried out in secrecy from justice, I can say that the investigation context refers to the year 2022 and respects unfulfilled investment intentions and urban planning operations carried out in the current municipal mandate, even if some have taken over from previous mandates,” said the PSD deputy.
Joaquim José Pinto Moreira was first elected as a deputy in the 2022 parliamentary elections, having become vice president of the Social Democratic Bank under Joaquim Miranda Sarmento after Luís Montenegro took over the PSD presidency.
Source: DN
