The outgoing prime minister said Monday that he was “hurt but resigned” to the Justice Department’s investigation into him and that he was “seriously” awaiting justice’s answers. António Costa expresses his “disappointment” at not fully fulfilling his mandate, but praises some of the achievements he has achieved as head of government.
In an interview with CNN Portugalstated that he has a “clear conscience” regarding the trial and that although the situation is “unpleasant”, it does not affect his confidence in the justice system.
“I stop believing in the justice system and believe that it works not because this or that representative of justice can act incorrectly. My beliefs do not change depending on the circumstances,” Costa said.
The socialist emphasized that independent justice and an autonomous prosecutor’s office are characteristics of democracy in the country: “No one is above the law, not even me,” he said.
Costa would have waited for the investigating judge if not for the paragraph on PGR.
Asked about the morning of November 7, the day that marked the release of Operation Man of Influence, António Costa explained that he does not regret leaving the post of Prime Minister.
However, he argues that if it were not for the paragraph of the Attorney General of the Republic in which he is mentioned, he would probably have waited for the investigating judge before taking any action.
“This paragraph was added to the statement to draw public attention to suspicions against the Prime Minister, and even today I do not know what the suspicions are. I know what I did and didn’t do, so I have a clear conscience,” he said.
Costa refused to comment on the statements of prosecutor Lucilia Gago and said that he was waiting for the deputy’s investigation. For a socialist, it is important that the PS remains aloof from the situation.
“The PS should remain aloof from this story and represent the balance of these years of government, an updated program and have new leadership with new energy (…) And not engage in this matter, which has nothing to do with the PS,” he emphasized.
Glory to Galamba
When António Costa was confronted with the problem of João Galamba, who is involved in several controversies, he refused to comment on “what he only became aware of through the media.”
The outgoing prime minister described the former infrastructure minister as an excellent energy secretary and infrastructure minister.
“If the courts have something against João Galamba, then let them prove it,” he emphasized.
Socialist: Marcelo misjudged the political crisis
According to António Costa, the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, gave a “wrong assessment” of the political crisis, and the country should not hold early elections.
“I just hope that the elections on March 10 will lead to a more stable situation than what we had. (…) Frankly, I do not believe in any stable solution that is not based on the PS,” he highlighted.
Neutral in choosing a successor
Costa did not reveal his preferences between the candidates for the post of PS Secretary General, whom he greatly respects and believes that both have the skills to do their job well.
“Each of them has more experience, much more competence and provides better governance than the leader of the opposition,” he said.
A government that has achieved several successes despite negative situations
During the interview, António Costa was also asked about some of the topics that have been covered in the media in recent months, such as the social media crisis.
Regarding problems in the health sector, the socialist reported that human resources in the SNS have increased by 25% and the number of visits has increased significantly.
“Even for emergency episodes, we had more than 88 thousand consultations than during the same period in 2015,” he said.
Costa highlighted all the important reforms in various areas carried out during the PS’s absolute majority government.
Raising the minimum wage, job growth, tax cuts and increased public investment are some of the things the politician cites as the main achievements of the past government.
“We have achieved a balanced budget through higher wages, higher pensions and lower taxes (…) this is the result of good policy. Paul Krugman says it seemed like a miracle, I, a non-believer, just think it was good politics,” he said.
António Costa submitted his resignation to the President of the Republic on November 7 after becoming involved in a legal case concerning lithium and hydrogen. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa decided to dissolve parliament and call elections for March 10, 2024.
Author: morning Post
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Sandra Hansen, a news website Author and Reporter for 24 News Reporters. I have over 7 years of experience in the journalism field, with an extensive background in politics and political science. My passion is to tell stories that are important to people around the globe and to engage readers with compelling content.