The president of the republic defended this Friday that the cases involving ministers Fernando Medina and João Gomes Cravinho show how important the past of the rulers is and that the government’s questionnaire should apply to everyone.
Responding to questions from journalists, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said at the end of a forum on Europe at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon that he was not aware of the facts reported this Friday in the case involving the minister of Foreign Affairs was involved. João Gomes Cravinho, regarding his time as Defense portfolio holder.
With regard to this matter, the head of state reiterated his position that the 36-question questionnaire approved for new government officials should also apply to those already in office. “because with the passage of time problems may arise that were not known or known to the public or public opinion or the citizens or the media, and that relate to the past”.
“That just proves the point of what I said”considered.
When asked whether a government official who lies in statements in parliament is theoretically able to remain in office, the President of the Republic does not directly answer the question, but makes the following comment: “Someone who expresses an opinion or a judgment based on certain assumptions in a parliamentary debate can suddenly make statements that are later verified and he himself verifies that they did not correspond to reality, that he had a vague idea of the reality, that it wasn’t.”
“This happens often. Let’s see”he added.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who was questioned afterwards about the case involving the Finance Minister, Fernando Medina, due to decisions taken during his time as mayor of Lisbon, declined to comment but took the opportunity to indicate insist on the general application of the government’s questionnaire.
“Here we have another situation that confirms the importance of clarifying the facts of the past and a government official who was already in office before there was a questionnaire”he said, insisting that clearing up the issues is important “for everyone in office”.
Source: DN
