Luís Montenegro has announced in an interview with SIC’s Jornal da Noite that Pinto Moreira will step down next Thursday as deputy chairman of the PSD faction as he is under investigation in connection with the Vortex operation.
“Deputy Pinto Moreira will today resign from his position as vice-chairman of the PSD faction, not because he has an accusation against him, but because after 60 hours of diligence of the judicial authorities in which they have not found any document other than the phone or computer without ask for parliamentary immunity to be lifted, we cannot wait forever. That was agreed between him and me on Tuesday. There is a political dimension that we will not hide,” said the Social Democratic leader.
Montenegro also considered that “from a legal and ethical point of view is not a problem” that the law firm in which it owned 50% of the share capital (before becoming PSD leader) had provided legal services directly to Espinho and Vagos municipalities. adjustments at a time when Pinto Moreira was mayor in Espinho. “We are talking about qualified legal services. And the mayors have political quality, they won with an absolute majority. I do not question my ethical criteria. I am available for contract investigations”he added, recalling that he was not even the one who chose Pinto Moreira as his deputy.
When asked if these controversies benefit Chega, Montenegro believes they “damage the credibility of political activity and for the country”.
“Control Mechanism? It was an act of real inconsistency”
The president of the PSD believes that the presentation of the ballot paper presented by the government by Mariana Vieira da Silva was “an act of real inconsistency”. “What they came to say are obvious things. It is an attempt by the Prime Minister to deny responsibility for a whole his responsibility”he said, even admitting that this mechanism could be in effect in a possible PSD government. “We have on the table the establishment of an ethics committee within the party”he added.
“I am available to talk to the Prime Minister about the country. Not to relieve him of his responsibility. His original idea was to create a circuit between his appointment and the approval of the President of the Republic. This has been recorded It was something on the back of the knee during the debate in the Assembly of the Republic.”continued, on the same subject.
Montenegro believed that it did not see a “special ruling” within the party for the PSD’s decision to abstain from the censure motion introduced by the liberal initiative in the Assembly of the Republic. “To defend the fall of the government, there will have to be a reparable ungovernability and interest in the country to hold elections. What politicians want is not elections, but how the bills are to be paid. I am preparing the PSD for a virtuous cycle in Portugal. We have an irreparable demographic crisis. If we do nothing, we will be two million less.”he said, assuring that he will propose a “program to attract immigrants to areas we need”.
“PSD rising slowly but steadily”
The Social Democratic leader says he appreciates the polls and that the trend in the polls satisfies him, albeit “not enough”. “The PSD is rising slowly, gradually but consistently. I just want to win a poll. The one on Election Day, if I have to”he stressed, stating that “I would like to go to elections with António Costa” to debate with the current Prime Minister.
Montenegro again defended that the state should never have renationalized TAP. “The TAP case is a political and financial crime. The administration of TAP cannot continue. It is blatant to pass on the sidelines of the minister”defended.
The PSD chairman guarantees that he has felt the support of the party. “I cannot complain about the lack of cooperation. If someone wants to join me, I will hold elections. I want to be the president the militants want. I am not playing political games here”he assured, not feeling weakened by Chega’s growth.
Does not disclose formula for elections in the Azores
On the red lines regarding Chega, he said he will participate in the regional elections in Madeira in alliance with the CDS-PP, but did not want to reveal which formula will be used in the Azores. ‘I am focused on the resistance against the PS’he limited himself to saying, and sent more explanation for when that suffrage approaches.
Regarding the economy, Montenegro says the “government saying we are converging with Europe is nonsense” narrative and defended that the “government should have used budgetary slack in 2022”.
The PSD leader said he has not yet chosen the leader of the list for the European elections, scheduled for next year, and “if the result is that bad” he even admits not to go through, but he showed confidence: “I am convinced that the PSD will win over the Europeans”.
No worries about coins or stairs
Montenegro also guaranteed to have a good relationship with Carlos Moedas, appointed as his possible successor, saying he expected Moedas to “remain a great mayor of Lisbon”.
On another big name of the PSD, Montenegro said that Passos Coelho “has a unique capacity” and that he will be an “excellent university professor”, who has “prerequisites for international positions”.
Source: DN
