PS rejects Costa’s request for a statement because it is not within the remit of the TAP Inquiry Committee.

This Wednesday, PS rejected a number of requests to the TAP Commission of Inquiry about the events at the Ministry of Infrastructures on April 26, including a request for a statement from Prime Minister António Costa.

At the start of the TAP Inquiry Commission meeting this Wednesday, Chega, Iniciativa Liberal and BE’s requests for the April 26 events in João Galamba’s ministry were discussed and voted, with the PS voting against all of these requests, the PCP abstaining, and the rest of the parties voting in favor.

During the debate, PS coordinator Bruno Aragao stated that the Socialists would “naturally not follow” these requests, “considering that none of them fit the purpose of this commission.”

Thus, among other things, IL’s requests for a written statement from the Prime Minister were denied, as well as a request from BE who asked to hear António Costa, “preferably in person”.

Equally rejected and with the same vote were BE’s requests to hear the director of the SIS and the general secretary of the SIRP, as well as Chega’s demands that “the national director of the Public Security Police give an affidavit” and the hearings of the Minister of the Interior, José Luis Carneiro, and the Deputy Secretary of State to Prime Minister António Mendons Mendez.

For the PKP, MP Bruno Dias, despite “emphasizing the seriousness of the events” that led to the need for a “total clarification” and were “fundamental for the clarification of this whole issue”, there is “a proper place in the Assembly of the Republic”. for this very thing”, which is not subject to the commission of inquiry of the PVR.

Through Chega, Filipe Melo criticized PS’s “skating rink”, and through IL, Bernardo Blanco referred to the fact that the Prime Minister, in a debate held just before this meeting of the commission of inquiry, “has shown today all the willingness to answer” to a parliamentary inquiry with the question, ” where it can be discussed.

Pedro Filipe Soares of BE defended that “there are a number of questions here that arise directly both from the political leadership that TAP has had over the past few years and even from the political implications.”

PSD’s Paulo Moniz stated that the Social Democrats would not “hinder any request that contributes to the full clarification of the facts that need to be confirmed.”

In a debate with the government on general policy, the leader of the SDP parliament, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, asked Prime Minister António Costa whether he could testify before the TAP Commission of Inquiry about his work and the work of his position in this case.

“This is a mistake, the prime minister should not be available, the prime minister is obliged to do everything that the Assembly of the Republic determines that the prime minister does, and I have never shied away from my duties,” Costa assured. .

The April 26 incidents are linked to Frederico Pinheiro, João Galamba’s former deputy minister, and involve complaints of physical abuse against a former deputy in the Ministry of Infrastructure and alleged theft of a laptop after he was fired. is under investigation by the Ministry of Health.