This Thursday, Chega insisted on scheduling an urgent debate requested by the party on the possible provision of “compensation to former colonies,” with the President of the Assembly of the Republic expected to make a decision “in the next few hours.”
Speaking to reporters after an extraordinary meeting of the leaders’ conference, parliamentary leader Chegi said there was a “coalition between all parties against the urgent debate” his party was asking for.
Pedro Pinto believed that this debate, which the party wanted to hold today, should take place by Monday or Tuesday, and accused the remaining political forces of having found “a thousand and one excuses for not planning it” and “lack of interest”. in conducting this debate.”
“We want the urgent Chegi debate to continue,” he noted, saying his party had made “several attempts to reach consensus” and that he had even asked for an extraordinary plenary session, but other parties “were against it.”
Pointing out that the President of the Assembly of the Republic “was given the right to think” and decide on the matter, Pedro Pinto appealed to the “sensitivity” of José Pedro Aguiar-Branco and asked that the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly of the Republic be respected. Also speaking to reporters, a spokesman for the leaders’ conference noted that parliament has “two consecutive weeks with possible timetables to set the agenda” and that what is at stake is “the exercise of two legal rights that are ultimately in conflict with each other.”
The SDP MP noted that “most political forces understand that if there is a potential debate on setting the agenda, it is not possible to add new items or have other debates during that day,” while Chega understood “that debate of urgency is a right, which dominates all other debates.”
Jorge Paulo Oliveira also said that it is impossible to schedule extraordinary plenary sessions, noting that parliamentary days and a congress are planned next week, so there will be no parliamentary work on these days. The lawmaker also indicated that “plenary meetings, unless agreed upon by the leadership conference, can only be held on Wednesdays and Thursday afternoons and Friday mornings,” and must be convened at least 24 hours in advance.
“Within this framework, the President of the Assembly of the Republic plans to make a decision in the next few hours, between today and tomorrow, I am convinced that an order will be issued indicating his decision,” he indicated.
A spokesman for the leadership conference noted that the first opportunity for debate after a potential debate is May 15, when a two-week debate with the prime minister is scheduled.
On Tuesday, Chega asked for an urgent debate in parliament so that the government could clarify whether possible “compensation for former colonies” was being considered following the statements of the President of the Republic.