“It is highly likely that I will never hold any public office again,” says Antonio Costa.

“I cannot help but share with my fellow citizens that the seizure of money from the office of the person I chose not only hurts me for betraying my trust, but also embarrasses me. Therefore, I apologize to the Portuguese,” the prime minister said about the incident. money seized from Vitor Escaria’s office.

Vitor Escaria, who began serving as the prime minister’s chief of staff in 2020, was detained for questioning on Tuesday and 75,800 euros in cash was seized during judicial searches of his office at his official residence in Sao Bento.

It should be remembered that the Prime Minister later dismissed Vitor Escaria from the post of Chief of Staff and appointed Major General Thiago Vasconcelos, who had until then been António Costa’s military adviser, to this post.

“Given the length of this trial, it is very likely that I will never hold any public office again,” he said of the prosecutor’s investigation.

The chief executive denied intervening in any legal proceedings and said he only knew what had been published in the media.

Regarding Lacerda Machado, António Costa also stated that “he did not collaborate with the cabinet for many years and did not have any mandate” in the Sines data center project, adding that despite what he said he was his best friend.” The reality is that the Prime Minister has no friends, and the longer he serves, the fewer friends he has.”

The executive leader added that Lacerda Machado, “whether he did it or not in this process,” never did it with his permission, with his knowledge, with his intervention.

“And he never spoke to me about this topic,” he confirmed.

As for the governor of Banco Portugal, Mario Centeno, António Costa said that he spoke with the governor about the possibility of replacing him as head of the new executive without early elections with the knowledge of the President of the Republic.

The leader of the executive branch noted that Mário Centeno will give a final answer about his readiness to succeed him as head of the executive branch only after the “final conversation” that the Governor of the Bank of Portugal will have with Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and the adoption of a decision. executive bodies of the leadership of the PS, a party that still has an absolute majority in parliament.

Regarding the reasons for this move, António Costa explained: “My task was to provide the President of the Republic with an alternative to placing the country three years before the cessation of the legislature, dissolving the parliament and returning to the electoral process. “

“The world is going through a situation of countless uncertainties, conflicts and economic conditions. I realized that there was a need to find alternatives that would avoid the dissolution of the Assembly of the Republic. Therefore, I spoke with the President of the Republic and acted with the knowledge of the President of the Republic,” he emphasized.

Portugal will hold early legislative elections on March 10, 2024, scheduled by the President of the Republic, following the resignation of the Prime Minister on Tuesday.