Former Deputy Frederico Pinheiro and Chief of Staff to the Minister of Infrastructure are being heard this Wednesday before the TAP Inquiry Committee on a preparatory meeting with the company’s former executive president ahead of the hearing in January.
Frederico Pinheiro has accused the ministry of trying to conceal documents requested by a parliamentary commission of inquiry from TAP regarding notes by a former deputy preparatory meeting for a hearing by former airline executive president Christine Urmier-Widener on the eve of a parliamentary economic committee hearing in January.
João Galamba denied the allegations, stressing that there was no cover-up because the notes sent by the former MP in the body of the “e-mail” were addressed to the commission of inquiry.
At a press conference, the Minister of Infrastructure said that the accusation of Federico Pinheiro “has no basis” because from January until the collection of documentation requested by the parliamentary commission of inquiry, “never, at the moment, there were any” became aware of the existence of banknotes . “I was told not [havia] and there are four witnesses,” the ruler emphasized.
The case, opened on April 26, concerned complaints against former assistant Frederico Pinheira for physical abuse at the Ministry of Infrastructure and the theft of a laptop computer after he had been exonerated for “behavior inconsistent with the duties and responsibilities” inherent in the performance of functions, and the controversy intensified when became aware of the intervention of the Security Information Service (SIS) in the recovery of this computer.
This episode sparked a public disagreement between the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and the Prime Minister, over the retention of Infrastructure Minister Joao Galamba in the government, who resigned, but which António Costa did not accept. .
On April 4, at a parliamentary committee hearing on the TAP case, then-TAP executive president Christine Urmier-Widener confirmed that she had participated in a preparatory meeting with the PS parliamentary group and members of government agencies, ahead of the previous economy committee hearing in January.
At the time when she was asked if there was a question and answer combination for the next day’s audition, Urmier-Widener said that she had no memory for the combination, but that she was only asked questions that she answered.
The manager also said that her participation in the meeting came from the Ministry of Infrastructure, which initially issued a statement saying that the minister had been informed of TAP’s intention to attend, with Joao Galamba adding later at a press conference that spoke of the preparatory meeting on January 17 in another meeting with the CEO on the 16th.
The TAP later confirmed its interest to the then Deputy, who informed the Minister. “I really went [informado]because I have a message from Dr. Frederico Pinheiro that says “Joao, the CEO wants to attend the meeting, doesn’t he?” and I answer “maybe”,” the minister said.
“With the interest of the deputy and the deputy group that participated in the meeting, and in the presence of the interest of the general director, I did not oppose this, because, in fact, I do not see a problem. meeting to prepare for a parliamentary commission of inquiry,” he repeated Joao Galamba.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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