The only member of PAN/Madeira, Monica Freitas, who guarantees an absolute majority in the regional parliament to the leader of the PSD/CDU-PP coalition, was received this Wednesday by the representative of the Republic, but sent statements to journalists about “when this data will be available.”
“We are not going to stir up speculation,” the PAN deputy said following the hearings after persistent demands from journalists, answering only that she would make statements when “there is data.”
The PAN/Madeira delegation asked Ireneu Barreto to receive them at the São Lourenço Palace in Funchal. The hearing, which began at 11:00 a.m., lasted about 30 minutes.
Following a trial to investigate suspicions of corruption in the region, the regional government’s president, Miguel Albuquerque (PSD), was named as a defendant, and the PAN demanded his resignation in order to preserve the agreement on parliamentary influence that guarantees the PSD an absolute majority. / the CDS-PP coalition, which won the regional elections on September 24, electing 23 deputies out of the 47 that make up the parliament.
Madeira’s chief executive formalized his resignation as representative of the Republic on Monday, but Ireneu Barreto decided it would not take immediate effect despite accepting it.
According to Article 62 of the Political-Administrative Statute of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, the dismissal of the executive involves “the presentation of a request for dismissal by the President of the Regional Government.”
The PAN political committee has already stated that it agrees that Miguel Albuquerque’s resignation will only take effect after the approval of the archipelago’s 2024 budget “in the name of stability.”
As for the CDS-PP/Madeira, the PSD partner in the regional government, its leader Rui Barreto, in a statement to journalists on Monday, demanded the immediate dismissal of Miguel Albuquerque and the appointment of a new leader.
Last Wednesday, after about 130 searches at home and outside, carried out by the Judicial Police (PJ) mainly in Madeira, but also in the Azores and in various parts of the continent, the then mayor of Funchal Pedro Calado (NSD) leader of the AFA construction group Avelino Fariña and the main shareholder of the civil engineering group Socicorreia, Custódio Correia.
Following this process, Pedro Calado resigned as president of the Chamber of Funchal, a role now taken over by the vice-president of the municipality, Cristina Pedra.
According to the joint venture, we are talking about suspicions of active and passive corruption, economic participation in business, malfeasance, receiving or offering undue advantages, abuse of power and influence trading.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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