President Chegi this Saturday considered that the PSD leader must give a full explanation about the house he built in Espinho and warned that he would be “outside the game” if the Social Democrats now began to attack the public ministry.
These positions were conveyed to Andre Ventura moments before the start of a visit to the sites of the Royal Humanitarian Association of Volunteer Firemen of Lisbon after journalists asked him a question about the decision of the Porto prosecutor’s office to open an investigation against Luis Montenegro for possible administrative offenses. and tax benefits attributed to the house he built in Espinho.
Contrary to what Luis Montenegro said this Saturday, at the end of the morning, at a press conference, the leader of Chegi believes that the PSD President will still have to return soon to talk about this matter and understands that there are still no complete explanations regarding the construction process of this house in Espinho.
Andre Ventura even noted that Luis Montenegro’s reaction to the case that affected him was in line with the public attitude shown by former Socialist Secretary of State Lacerda Sales in relation to the Portuguese-Brazilian twins treated at the Santa Maria Hospital. in Lisbon.
“When Luis Montenegro says that he has documents and there is a journalist who asks him to provide these elements, and he says that he only provides them during an investigation, this is not much different from what Lacerda Sales said in the case of the twins. This is not helping democracy,” Chega criticized President.
Andre Ventura noted that Luis Montenegro, like himself and Pedro Nuno Santos, aspire to the role of prime minister, so he has to give “thorough explanations on a not entirely explained matter.”
“Luis Montenegro’s right to the presumption of innocence is not at stake, but when it comes to the assets of politicians, there is a heightened duty to explain. Now, when it is said that from this Saturday this issue will no longer be discussed, and this only adds elements of justice, knowing that justice due to the timing of the process will not act in the coming days or weeks, allows all this to pollute the election campaign,” – President Chegi emphasized.
Asked whether the case has implications for the creation of a right-wing alternative after the March 10 legislative elections, Andre Ventura replied: “Yes and no.”
“Yes, if there are no explanations at the moment when this alternative should be formed and suspicions grow. I think there will come a time when it will be necessary to give a full explanation on some things, both of a fiscal nature and an administrative nature,” he said.
When asked whether the prosecutor’s office interferes in political activities, or more precisely in the election campaign for the March 10 legislative elections, Andre Ventura rejected this thesis and objected that it was necessary to allow justice to work.
“I hope that the PSD will not make this mistake because that is what the PS did in the Casa Pia process and in Operation Influencer. If the PSD joins the same speech as the PS in attacking justice, I can guarantee one thing: We are leaving,” he warned.
When asked about the mandate of the current Attorney General of the Republic, Lucília Gago, President Chegi began by saying that it was not for him to make such an assessment, but then stated: “The Attorney General of the Republic is not yet ready. At the end of her term, these investigations are very complex and could be completely only assessed when they reach a more advanced stage.”
“I would wait for the end of the mandate of the Attorney General of the Republic, I would wait for this and other processes to develop, and then I would analyze whether they were consistent. Now, casting suspicion on those leading the investigation is the worst service we can provide. to ensure democracy, and we are the ones who convey the message that politicians should be above the law, protected,” he added.
The investigation into Luis Montenegro’s housing is being carried out by Porto’s Department of Investigation and Criminal Affairs, there are no defendants, and it concerns, among other things, the alleged abuse of a reduced VAT rate.
However, on Friday evening, in a written statement sent to Luz’s agency, the PSD president expressed the view that the prosecutor’s investigation into tax incentives for the construction of his house in Espinho represents a “great opportunity” to close the case, ensuring that there was no favorable treatment.
This Saturday, at a press conference in Porto, the PSD leader assured that he does not feel “in the least bit conditioned” and that he is coping well with the investigations launched by the Ministry of Justice.
“I don’t feel conditioned at all, I live well under the scrutiny that these investigations are giving me, 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.
The SDP president also said that he was confident in justice and added that he would not speak further about the case until there was “an outcome of justice.” In front of reporters, he stated that he was ready to cooperate with the investigation and hand over all documentation relating to his house in Espinho.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Tifany Hawkins, a professional journalist with years of experience in news reporting. I currently work for a prominent news website and write articles for 24NewsReporters as an author. My primary focus is on economy-related stories, though I am also experienced in several other areas of journalism.