The Economy and Maritime Minister on Monday denied having any contact with consultant Lacerda Machado and ruled out the possibility of resignation, while also deploring the impact the case had on the prime minister.
“I have been in government for 20 months and have never spoken to Dr. Lacerda Machado,” António Costa Silva told reporters in Lisbon on the sidelines of the Web Summit technology summit.
Lawyer Magalhães e Silva said on Sunday that the ministry admitted an error in the transcript of Diogo Lacerda Machado’s wiretaps, which mentioned Economy Minister Antonio Costa Silva but only mentioned Prime Minister Antonio Costa. rewritten.
“It was Dr. Lacerda Machado who told the prosecutor’s office that this mistake had indeed taken place, and the prosecutor’s office admitted it,” the lawyer told reporters outside the courthouse in Lisbon.
It concerns a wiretapped telephone conversation between the former administrator of Start Campus, Afonso Salema, and Diogo Lacerda Machado, a consultant to the company, in which the former asks the latter to contact the government so that it can intervene to change the conditions of operation. codes.economical for data centers.
“In short, it is clear what happened: nothing. A factual error has occurred. We are all imperfect. I have 70 years of life and a career that speaks for itself,” said Costa Silva.
The governor also showed that he had an “absolutely clear” conscience in everything he did as Minister of Economy and the Sea.
Despite stressing that Portugal is a “rule of law state and that no one is above the law”, Costa Silva was “very saddened” by the involvement of the prime minister’s name in this matter.
“As far as I know, this is a person with an absolute reputation. He has more than 30 years of service to the public and has never been involved in anything,” he assured.
The owner of the Economy portfolio now hopes that the investigation will be speedy and reminds that everyone has the right to the presumption of innocence.
“We cannot accept a system that judges people publicly,” he said.
Regarding the dismissal of Infrastructure Minister João Galamba, the minister simply said that “everyone has the right to choose their future.”
“Naturally, we all have the right to continue on our way,” he said of the resignation of Economy Minister Pedro Silinio, adding that the government was ending its functions.
When asked about the possibility of submitting a resignation letter, Costa Silva assured that such a scenario is excluded, since “a bunch of nothing” is at stake.
The Prime Minister resigned on Tuesday after learning that his name had been mentioned by those involved in the prosecutor’s investigation into the Lithium, Hydrogen and Sines data centers, prompting the President of the Republic to dissolve the Assembly of the Republic and convene the legislature. elections on March 10.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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