PAN leader says PGR has “no conditions” to remain in office

The leader of PAN this Saturday said that the Attorney General of the Republic, Lucília Gago, has “no conditions” to remain in her post and that she “cannot hide behind statements”, after questioning the government.

“No, Lucilia Gago actually cannot remain in her post, there is, first of all, no communication with the population,” answered Ines Souza Real when asked whether the current Attorney General of the Republic (PGR) should remain in her post. .

Speaking in Porto, on the sidelines of the presentation of PAN’s electoral program for the March 10 elections, a PAN spokesman stressed the need and importance for the PGR to communicate in a “closer and more direct way.”

“The PIU cannot hide behind statements when it has already twice questioned the actions of governments, both at the national and regional level,” explained Ines Souza Real.

The PAN representative mentioned two court cases that have become prominent in recent Portuguese politics.

“For us to have the first order in which there is a gross error in the name of the person concerned and in which the government and the stability of the government for the country is called into question without even having a direct explanation to the country, it does not seem to us that this is humanized justice, intimacy and the 21st century.” , he noted.

The order from the Ministry of State concerned outgoing Prime Minister António Costa on allegations of corruption and favoritism, while the name mentioned in the wiretaps carried out during the investigation was supposed to be that of Economy Minister António Costa e Silva.

The second example in which Ines de Sousa Real questioned the activities of the public ministry headed by the PGR was the Madeira case, which led to the arrest of the now former mayor of Funchal and two businessmen on suspicion of corruption and as a result of which the President of the Autonomous Government of Madeira, Miguel Albuquerque, also found himself under suspicion of the same crime, which led to his dismissal from office.

The three suspects were held for 21 days for questioning by a judge and then released.

“Also in Madeira, we cannot forget that we have a person detained for more than 48 hours without any charges. This is a serious violation of the rights of the individual and of any accused, regardless of the investigation being conducted.”

According to Ines Souza Real, “what happened is a serious violation of human rights” that “cannot happen and has once again led to political instability.”

It was in this case, and after the three detainees were released, that the PGR issued a statement on Friday in which it assured that it would “closely monitor” the process concerning suspicions of corruption in Madeira and admitted that the case could come to clarification if he “considers it appropriate” and does not harm the investigation of the case.

Continuing with Miguel Albuquerque’s case, Ines Souza Real said he should stay away from the Madeira government while an investigation into alleged corruption involving him is ongoing.

“In the opinion of PAN, while the investigation is ongoing, distance must be maintained so that it can proceed calmly and without any political interference, and so that there is confidence among citizens that this will happen,” he said.

According to the PAN representative, “the fight against corruption is fundamental” and this fight “involves strengthening the means available to justice.”

“This does not mean that we interfere in political actions. The High Council of Justice and the Prosecutor’s Office should play a more intervening role here in the supervision of these cases, but we believe that this is due to the strengthening of the means that we will fight corruption more effectively,” he said.