Joaquim Pinto Moreira does not express the position of the PSD “neither in plenary meetings nor in committees”.

The PSD parliamentary group clarified on Monday that deputy Joaquim Pinto Moreira, who was denied political confidence, does not express the position of the party “neither in the plenary sessions nor in the committees” of the Assembly of the Republic.

The clarification of the social democratic bench, sent to the media, followed the news of the online newspaper Observador, which states that the deputy in question returned to the permanent parliamentary committees, which he held before being removed from office (at that time in agreement with the leadership of the party after as she was appointed defendant in Operation Whirlwind): the defense as a member and Saudé as a deputy.

“All SDP deputies, in accordance with the Constitution and the Regulations, are assigned to parliamentary committees. Deputy Pinto Moreira is a member of the committees in which the deputy whose seat he previously occupied participated,” the Social Democratic Party said in a statement. parliamentary group.

The same note states that “as the SDP chairman has previously explained, the withdrawal of political confidence means that MP Pinto Moreira does not express, either in plenary sessions or in committees, the political position of the SDP, so there has been no change in this domain.”

PSD MP Joaquim Pinto Moreira renewed his mandate on May 29, two months after it was suspended, after he became a defendant in the Vortex operation, which is related to real estate projects and related licensing in the Espinho Chamber, which he led .

On the same day, SDP President Luis Montenegro indicated that the party had decided to strip Pinta Moreira of political credibility, but that the parliamentarian would continue to be part of the Social Democratic bench “if he had such a will.” , emphasizing that the deputy mandate has an individual component in which the party cannot interfere.

Montenegro justified its decision by saying that the renewal of the mandate had to be agreed with the leadership of the party – like the suspension, the deputy “will no longer express” the political position of the Social Democratic bench.

A few days earlier, when Pinto Moreira’s intention to renew his term became known, the PSD leadership said it was caught off guard by denying any preliminary talks with former mayor Espinho, one of Luis Montenegro’s powerful men. campaign and who became vice-chairman of the parliamentary bench and chaired the commission to review the constitution.

In recent weeks, after he renewed his mandate and lost the political confidence of the PSD leadership, deputy Joaquim Pinto Moreira attended plenary sessions in the last row – as usual after news of Operation Whirlwind forced him to resign as Vice President. SDP President. bench – having not taken part in the only meeting of the deputy group since then.