The president of the republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, countered this Thursday that “each sovereign authority chooses its moment”, after being questioned about the prime minister’s statement that it is important “each to act at his own moment”.
The head of state spoke to journalists at a hotel in Santo Domingo during his one-day official visit to the Dominican Republic ahead of the 28th Ibero-American Summit, at which the Prime Minister, António Costa, will also participate on Friday and Saturday.
Asked about the statements made by the prime minister during Wednesday’s general policy debate in parliament about the controversy over the forced renting of vacant properties, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa replied that he had “heard nothing of what was going on in Portugal”. and that he would not comment on national news abroad.
Questioned specifically about António Costa’s statement that “a very important thing in politics and in relations between sovereign bodies is that everyone acts at their own moment”, the President of the Republic stated: “You know what I think about this issue , which is that every organ of sovereignty chooses its moment”.
“No one is going to tell the delegates: Look, don’t present this legislative initiative because it is not convenient for the president or the government. They will present it when they understand they have to present it,” illustrated.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa emphasized that the president of the republic has his “influencer’s office”, adding: “I really must be the only president who has never given notice in speeches on April 25, June 10 or October 5”.
As for the government’s intention to impose the rental of vacant housing, announced in mid-February, within the framework of the package of measures called “More Housing”, the head of state emphasized that this has not yet been converted into a diploma: “I don’t know any law that is about to come into force there in Belém, I think I have sent everything”.
Source: DN
