Montenegro says Costa and Ventura are ‘a couple of lovers in Portuguese politics’

Social Democratic leader Luis Montenegro on Tuesday played down the significance of the vote of no confidence in the government, saying he was preparing a project of hope for the country while the PS and Chega united “in the love of fighting the PSD.”

“Those interested in the debate are the Portuguese political couple, Dr. António Costa and Dr. Andre Ventura, who today are united in the intention of kissing each other and thereby attacking the PSD, so join them in their love of fighting the PSD, and Over time, they start having small problems,” he said.

The PSD leader also said that “the future of Portugal does not depend on today’s debates in the Assembly of the Republic” but rather on “solving the real problems of the country.”

“What I want to tell the Portuguese is that while they spend time discussing recurring problems within four walls, regardless of their importance, I am on the street, on the ground, talking to people, listening to them and preparing a project for the future and hope of Portugal “, he emphasized.

Montenegro spoke to journalists at the entrance to the Solano de Abreu secondary school in Abrantes, as part of the “Sentir Portugal em…” initiative, which is taking place this week in the Santarém area and includes contacts with the population. visiting companies and government institutions, as well as the private or social sector, among other things.

“We do not support this parliamentary initiative, but we are not going to give the Portuguese voters the wrong idea that in some sense we have some political support for the government because we censor the government, but we do. this is every day, no, we do this with parliamentary political figures,” said Luis Montenegro.

The SDP chairman once again held the government responsible for the “nearly 100 thousand students” without a teacher in at least one subject, saying the country’s teacher shortage is worsening every year.

Parliament is today discussing the vote of no confidence in the government presented by Chega, the third that the executive has faced in this legislative body, and which is guaranteed to lead thanks to a vote against the absolute majority of the PS.

Besides the PS, the PCP and the Bloc had already announced in advance that they would vote against the initiative, while the PSD would abstain, isolating Chega and the Liberal Initiative in voting in favor, with Luis Montenegro declaring that the debate was only of interest. Chege and PS to “attack” the SDP.

Asked about the situation with the Secretary General of the Ministry of National Defence, who continues to hold his post after being named as a defendant in August in the independent investigation as part of the independent “Perfect Storm” trial, Luís Montenegro said that João Ribeiro should have been removed from positions and the Government must provide clarification.

“This is another example, in this case the Secretary General of the Ministry of Defense, who remained in his post after the charges were filed,” the SDP leader noted.

As for Montenegro, “the Minister of Defense and the Prime Minister must indicate why he was not suspended”, saying he hoped António Costa “will have the opportunity to do so” today “in the debate in Parliament”. .