Ventura Demands Clarification From Costa About SIS Intervention In Recovering Ex-Deputy Galamba’s Computer

The President of Chega this Saturday demanded clarification from the Prime Minister about the alleged intervention of the SIS in the recovery of the computer that the former Deputy Minister Joao Galamba will take away, announcing that he will summon the director of this body to Parliament. .

“The actions of the Security Information Service (SIS) need to be explained. Why did it happen, in what context did it happen and, above all, what was the legal framework,” Andre Ventura said at a press conference held at the party’s headquarters. in Beja.

He stressed that the demand for an explanation is addressed to António Costa, because “Information and security services are controlled by the Prime Minister, and not by the Minister of Infrastructure or any other state body.”

According to the Chega leader, the recovery of the computer taken by Frederico Pinheiro, former Assistant Infrastructure Minister João Galamba, “was carried out by the SIS” and not by the judicial police.

“Information security services are not a criminal police agency or playthings in the hands of politicians,” he warned, stressing that the SIS does not have the authority to investigate the theft or misappropriation of materials.

Ventura raised several questions in the case, namely “who instigated the SIS intervention, whether the prime minister gave consent and consent to the intervention, and why the process did not follow normal procedures.”

“The separation of powers, the autonomy of the SIS, and the legal framework itself could be at stake,” he said, acknowledging that the government may have used the SSS “inappropriately for political or political purposes.”

For the Chega leader, the alleged SIS intervention to recover Frederico Pinheiro’s computer “shows that the government was desperate and wanted to act immediately, rather than wait for another judicial or judicial body.”

At a press conference, Ventura announced that the party he leads would summon the director of the SIS to Parliament to “explain, even behind closed doors, who gave permission for this intervention, how it was justified and how it was carried out.” .

On the other hand, Chegi’s leader believed that the president of the republic should speak out quickly on the case, stating that “the degradation of institutions is indeed at stake.”

“This case should prompt Marcelo Rebelo de Souza to rethink whether the normal functioning of the institutions is at stake,” he added.

On Friday, the dismissal of João Galamba’s deputy Federico Pinheiro for “behavior inconsistent with duties and responsibilities” and his allegations against the Minister of Infrastructure, which a government official has already vehemently denied, that he was trying to withhold information for the TAP investigation. commission.

Also on Friday, several Portuguese media outlets reported that after this dismissal, Federico Pinheiro reacted violently by attacking employees of the Ministry of Infrastructure.

Already today, at a press conference in Lisbon, the Minister of Infrastructure considered that he had “all the conditions” for being in government, denied the contradictions and stressed that the facts indicate cooperation with the TAP investigation commission.