The PS today rejected a series of requests from the Commission of Inquiry to TAP about the events in the Ministry of Infrastructure on April 26, including the request for a statement from the Prime Minister, António Costa.
At the beginning of today’s meeting of the TAP Commission of Inquiry, requests from Chega, Iniciativa Liberal and BE regarding the events of April 26 in João Galamba’s ministry were discussed and voted on, with the PS voting against all these requests, the PCP voted in favour, abstained and the other parties voted in favour.
During the debate, the coordinator of the PS, Bruno Aragão, said that the socialists “of course would not comply” with these requests “since none of them fit the purpose of this committee”.
For example, requests from the IL for a written statement from the Prime Minister and also one from the BE requesting to hear António Costa, “preferably in person”, were rejected.
Also rejected, and by the same vote, were BE’s requests to hear the Director of SIS and the Secretary General of SIRP, as well as Chega’s requests that “the National Director of the Public Security Police give written testimony” and that the hearings of the Interior Minister, José Luís Carneiro, and the Prime Minister’s Deputy Secretary of State, António Mendonça Mendes.
For the PCP Deputy Bruno Dias, despite “underlining the seriousness of the events” that led to the need for “complete clarification” and because it is “fundamental to clarify all this issue”, there is a ” right space in the Assembly of the Republic”. precisely for this”, not falling under the TAP Commission of Inquiry.
By Chega, Filipe Melo criticized the “steamroller” of the PS and, by IL, Bernardo Blanco referred to the fact that in the debate that took place precisely before this meeting of the Commission of Inquiry, the Prime Minister “showed today all the availability to respond” to the parliamentary inquiry , asking “where can this be discussed”.
Pedro Filipe Soares, from BE, defended that “there are a number of questions here that stem directly from both the political leadership TAP has had in recent years and even the political fallout”.
Paulo Moniz, of the PSD, said the Social Democrats “will not obstruct any request that contributes to the full clarification of the facts that prove necessary to confirm”.
In the general policy debate with the government, PSD parliament leader Joaquim Miranda Sarmento asked Prime Minister António Costa if he was available to testify in writing to the TAP Commission of Inquiry about his functioning and that of his office on the matter.
“A mistake has been made, the Prime Minister does not have to be available, the Prime Minister has a duty to do whatever the Assembly of the Republic determines that the Prime Minister must do and I have never shied away from fulfilling my duties,” Costa assured.
The April 26 incidents are related to Frederico Pinheiro, former deputy of Minister João Galamba, and concern complaints against the former deputy for physical assault at the Ministry of Infrastructure and the alleged theft of a laptop computer after he was fired. is being investigated by the Public Prosecution Service.
Source: DN
