Joao Galamba heard today in the Commission of Inquiry

Infrastructure Minister João Galamba will be heard from 17:00 in the TAP parliamentary commission of inquiry following an urgent request for dismissal for just cause by Christine Urmier-Widener and a preparatory meeting in January.

Joao Galamba was already on the list of persons to be questioned by the commission of inquiry, which leaves the politicians to the end, but given the well-known information about the preparatory meeting between the PS parliamentary group, members of government agencies and former TAP executive president Christine Urmier-Widener on the eve of hearings in The Economic Commission in January, and the ensuing disagreement over the minutes of this meeting, was scheduled to hear the ruler.

The aforementioned case dates back to 26 April and involves complaints against former deputy Frederico Pinheiro for physical assault at the Ministry of Infrastructure and the theft of a laptop computer after he was acquitted for “behavior inconsistent with duties and responsibilities” inherent in the exercises. features, and the controversy intensified when it became known that the Security Information Services (SIS) intervened 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 hearing before the TAP Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry, the then Executive President of TAP confirmed that she had participated in a preparatory meeting with the PS Parliamentary Group and members of government agencies on the eve of the previous hearing at the Ministry of Economy. 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.

Former deputy Frederico Pinheiro accused the ministry of trying to hide the documents requested by the commission of inquiry regarding the minutes of the aforementioned preparatory meeting.

João Galamba denied the accusations, stressing that there was no concealment of the notes, since they were sent by the former deputy in the body of an “email” to the commission of inquiry.

The Ministers of Finance and Infrastructure announced on 6 March the dismissal for good cause of TAP Executive President Christine Urmier-Widener and Chairman of the Board of Directors Manuel Beja after paying a compensation of half a million euros to former administrator Alexandra Reis after the General Financial Inspectorate (IGF) concluded, that the withdrawal agreement concluded was null and void.

At a panel of inquiry hearing in April, the then executive president of TAP said she expected to be fired, but not for a fair reason, after meeting Joao Galamba at a press conference in the morning to announce her resignation.

Also, former chairman of the board of directors Manuel Beja said that he received the news of his dismissal by telephone from Minister Joao Galamba on the morning of the public announcement, but without any reference to a good reason.