“It’s good that the deputy opened an investigation”: Montenegro guarantees that it did not accept benefits for working in its homeland

The chairman of the PSD assured this Saturday that he does not feel “even minimally conditioned” and that he is coping well with the investigations launched by the prosecutor’s office regarding the construction of his family’s house, ensuring that “everything is within the limits of regularity.”

“I do not feel conditioned at all, I live well under the scrutiny that I am subjected to during these investigations, and I have complete confidence and conviction that these particular investigations will show that everything is within the bounds of the pattern,” said Luis Montenegro at a press conference in Porto, afternoon.

The PSD leader, who said that there is “nothing abnormal or poorly explained” in the housing construction process in Espinho, also assured that he “did not ask for or accept” benefits in the process, so he does not enjoy “any benefits.” illegal.”

“Let no one doubt this: every cent I have invested in my family home has been paid for through the efforts of myself and my wife, directly by us and in accordance with licenses issued by the competent authorities. Each invoice issued and paid complied with the tax regime and legal force in force at that time,” he noted.

“I did not have any unjustified benefits. I paid the same as all the citizens, tens, hundreds or thousands, who were or are in the same situation as me,” assured the SDP leader.

Luis Montenegro, who repeated in a statement that he is “100% invested” in the “free exercise” of political functions, explained that he will not speak about the case again until the judge, whom he says he trusts, will come to some conclusion.

“It’s good that the prosecutor’s office has started an investigation, and it’s good that the court will express its position regarding my behavior (…) I sincerely trust the court. I will speak today. [esta sexta-feira] on this topic, and I will not comment further on it until the court speaks,” he said.

Reiterating that the questions raised about the financial difficulties of building his house are “absurd speculations born of the confusion of interests that mismanage” his freedom, Luis Montenegro admitted that it was an uncomfortable situation.

“Am I satisfied, am I excited that my image has changed due to an anonymous complaint that led to an investigation? Of course not, but I want to say that we must know how to live by the rules of democracy. These anonymous complaints are predictions that are enshrined in law and which oblige the deputy to conduct an investigation,” he said.

The Porto prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into alleged tax benefits attributed to housing in Espinho de Montenegro, following an anonymous complaint that for Montenegro “will definitely raise many doubts regarding its true objectives.”

The lawyer also took a moment to explain the financial part of the process of building the aforementioned house, a process that he said was “completely protected from any irregularities.”

“I paid my bills at 23% VAT until May 2017, and from June 2017 I paid my bills at 6% VAT from June 2017. Why? Because on April 21, 2017, the rehabilitation zone was published in the Diário da República Urban (ARU) of the Espinho coast,” he said.

“On May 16, 2017, the Municipal Council of Espinho issued a certificate certifying that the building in question was part of this ARU. According to the legal regime, the concept of rehabilitation covers the reconstruction, expansion, conservation or demolition of buildings,” he explained.

According to him, “the combination of these circumstances” with him or with “any other citizen has direct financial consequences (….)”, so, according to him, he was given “the same treatment as all other citizens who were in the same circumstances in the same area.”

The PSD leader concluded his speech with the statement: “From now on, I will focus on using every moment of direct or indirect interaction with the Portuguese to talk about what is important for the future of Portugal,” he said.

“How are we going to solve the healthcare chaos, how are we going to save public schools, how are we going to create more wealth and pay less taxes, families, people and companies, how are we going to value pensions more and how are we going to give opportunity to the children of Portugal,” – he listed.