“It is regrettable that all parties in this Assembly, with the exception of Chega, are united with a single goal. The aim of this conference of leaders was to condemn, persecute and mock a party,” said André Ventura in statements to journalists in parliament.
Chega’s leader felt that “the almost obsessive adherence to the words ‘all means to restore order and discipline’ is clear evidence that what Augusto Santos Silva wanted was for the deputies to say he could call the police, he could use any means you want to silence the members of Chega”.
“It is this Socratic spirit, of authority, authoritarianism and censorship that Augusto Santos Silva wants to play at the moment,” he charged.
André Ventura spoke to journalists after a leadership conference session that lasted more than three hours and debated “issues of behavior and discipline in the plenary” at a specific and autonomous point, scheduled after episodes involving Chega delegates.
Ventura said he had asked that “not only Chega’s opposition to this climate of condemnation and persecution be recorded in the minutes”, but also his opinion that “the previous attitude of the President of the Assembly of the Republic to expel Chega of parliamentary delegations [em viagens ao estrangeiro] was illegal, unauthorized, against the Rules and against the Constitution”.
The president of Chega also defended that it was “a pity that the PS, the President of the Assembly of the Republic and the Vice-President of the Assembly of the Republic [Edite Estrela] can’t even admit they made a mistake too”.
“There were times when Chega also failed and that was accepted”
“We all have to take our responsibility, there were times when Chega also failed and that was accepted,” he indicated, pointing out that “this inability of the PS and the President of the Assembly of the Republic also leads to a self-critical judgment an enormous difficulty to appease the spirits”.
The president of Chega also regretted that the planning of the discussion of the draft resolution recommending the government to sack the Minister of Infrastructure, João Galamba, who entered parliament on Tuesday and has not yet been admitted, was not accepted.
The Leaders’ Conference has decided that more rules or a different sanctions framework than the current one is not necessary to ensure the regular functioning of parliamentary work, the President of the Assembly of the Republic announced.
According to Augusto Santos Silva, the view of the Conference of Leaders is that the rules which the Rules of Procedure, the Code of Conduct for Deputies and the Statute of Deputies “prescribe are sufficient”, and “should be used so that the prestige of Parliament is defended and so that parliamentary work takes place with freedom, liveliness and also with urbanity”.
The Speaker of Parliament illustrated that under the current rules, whoever presides over parliamentary proceedings can already “take the floor back” from a Member, ensuring that this never happens, or resort to whatever means he deems necessary and deem suitable. measures to maintain discipline and order in the plenary.
Asked several times if he intends to resort to PSP agents in this type of situation, Santos Silva only reiterated that the means strictly necessary and proportionate will be used, without this happening.
Source: DN
