PSD/Madeira says it will vote “with its head held high” if that is the decision of the President of the Republic

PSD/Madeira confirmed this Saturday that it remains ready to appoint a new regional government as a solution to the political crisis, but assured that if early elections are called, the Social Democrats will vote “with their heads held high.”

“The PSD seems to be the party of the solution, it is still ready to form a new government and, above all, to return political stability to the Madeirans and to what is our great goal: to develop Madeira, to develop autonomy,” said Bruno Melim, regional PSD deputy and leader of JSD/Madeira.

Bruno Melim responded to the decision of the representative of the Republic in Madeira, Ireneu Barreto, who announced this Saturday that he will keep the leadership of the Regional Government (PSD/CDS-PP) in office until the head of state decides whether to dissolve the Legislative Assembly, that can only happen after March 24th.

Ireneu Barreto’s decision was announced three weeks after Madeira government leader Miguel Albuquerque resigned after he was indicted as part of a process investigating suspicions of corruption in the region, leading to the removal of his leader from the PSD/CDS Coalition -PP with parliamentary support of PAN.

Despite the fact that PSD/Madeira “continues to be the solution for which the Madeirans stood in the September elections,” Bruno Melim assured that if the President of the Republic decides to dissolve the Regional Legislative Assembly from March 24, the Social Democrats will vote for him. “with their heads held high” they ask for their “ability to govern” to be restored.

First, he added, taking into account “what was known this week” when “the signs that led to this political crisis” were “removed by the judge’s decision.”

The JDS/Madeira leader was referring to the decision of the investigating judge who interrogated three detainees in a case in which alleged corruption is being investigated, including former Funchal Chamber President Pedro Calado (PSD), and found that the accused remain at large in terms of identity and place of residence, despite the fact that the prosecutor’s office demanded preventive detention.

According to the enforcement order, which Lusa had access to, Lisbon Central Criminal Court judge Jorge Bernardes de Melo realized that “there is no evidence in the case file, much less hard evidence” of the accused. “who suffered damage during the commission of any crime.”

Speaking to journalists in Funchal, at the Regional Legislative Assembly, Bruno Melim also stressed that what has happened since the beginning of the current political crisis is “the impossibility of allowing the PSD to govern”, despite the fact that on September 24 it was the choice of the population, therefore considering that the Social Democrats have full legitimacy to appoint a new leader.

“The SDP understands that it has this legitimacy thanks to the election result obtained on September 24. […] It was not the SDP that created this situation, but the SDP, since it was always available, should be the solution,” he said.

When asked if Miguel Albuquerque was ready to integrate a new leader, the JSD/Madeira leader simply replied that “it is important to ensure that the PSD has this decision, that it is prepared.”

“The SDP continues to be the solution, the SDP has its own bodies and does not exclude anyone,” he added, adding that a regional political commission, the party’s governing body, would meet on Monday and would focus “on maintaining the region’s governmental authority.” stability”.

Asked about the possibility of reappointing Miguel Albuquerque as Chief Executive of Madeira, the representative of the Republic of Madeira, Ireneu Barreto, said this Saturday that, with or without elections, he would accept a possible nomination from the PSD, so that also the leader of the Social Democrats would become President of the new regional government .

On January 24, the Judicial Police (SP) carried out some 130 searches at home and outside, mainly in Madeira, but also in the Azores and various parts of the continent, as part of the process of investigating suspicions of active and passive actions. corruption, participation in business economic activities, malfeasance, receiving or offering undue advantage, abuse of power and undue influence.

Following this operation, the SP detained the then mayor of Funchal Pedro Calado (NSD), who also resigned from his post, the leader of the AFA construction group Avelino Fariña and the main shareholder of the civil engineering group Socicorreia. , Custodio Correia. The three accused were released on Wednesday with identification documents and residence permits, three weeks after their arrest.