The PSD chairman has called an urgent meeting of the party leadership for this Tuesday “due to the seriousness of the situation related to the central base of the government” and promises to talk “with the country” at the end.
The party note said that Luis Montenegro “urgently convened a meeting of the Permanent Commission (the core of the leadership) for this afternoon.” [esta terça-feira]”.
“After the meeting, the PSD chairman will make a statement to the country,” it adds.
The meeting is warranted “given the gravity of the situation at the government’s central base” following an investigation into lithium exploration projects that has led to searches of several ministries and the prime minister’s chief of staff.
Público newspaper reported that the PSP carried out searches on Tuesday morning at several ministries and at the official residence of Prime Minister António Costa in Sao Bento as part of an investigation into lithium exploration projects in Montalegre.
The Prime Minister’s press office confirmed that the PSP carried out searches in the office of Vitor Escaria, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, adding that there was no comment from São Bento on the court’s decision.
“We confirm that searches are taking place in the office of the head of the administration. [Vítor Escária]. We do not comment on legal actions,” a source working for António Costa told Lusa.
The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, received Prime Minister António Costa at the Belém Palace in Lisbon on Tuesday at his request, a source in the Presidency of the Republic told Lusa.
According to Público, António Costa’s chief of staff Vitor Escaria, Costa’s close adviser Diogo Lacerda Machado and Sines Socialist city council president Nuno Mascarenhas, as well as two company executives, were arrested.
The newspaper added that charges would be brought against Environment Minister Duarte Cordeiro and Infrastructure Minister Joao Galamba, as well as the previous Environment Minister Joao Pedro Matos Fernandes.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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