Moedas says party funding law is ‘clear’ and justice should act the same

The mayor of Lisbon considered this Thursday that the law on party funding was “clear” and defended that justice should act equally for everyone, following the PSD raids promoted by the public ministry.

“Everyone should be treated equally. If there is a political party that acts in a certain way, let’s see if others act in the same way, and therefore everyone should be treated equally,” said Carlos Moedas (PSD).

The Mayor spoke on the sidelines of the signing of a protocol between the Lisbon City Council (CML), Construção Pública (formerly known as Parque Escolar) and the JMJ Foundation — Lisboa 2023 to provide 110 schools and three municipal institutions to receive 41,000 pilgrims, which was celebrated in Francisco Arruda Primary School on Calzada da Tapada in the Lisbon parish of Alcantara.

Asked by reporters about the searches carried out by prosecutors at the home of former SDP leader Ruy Rio in Porto and at the party’s headquarters in Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, in his capacity as mayor of Lisbon, declined to comment on the judicial system. but he stated: “If the house of Dr. Rui Rio is searched, find out what those reasons are, and also see what is happening in other parties regarding the Assembly of the Republic and party funding, it should be clear.” .

“Justice must act, it must act in the sense that it acts equally, fairly among all,” he said.

The mayor of Lisbon said that it is necessary to carefully look at what exactly the party funding law says.

“I think the law is clear, the law gives these subsidies to the parties, the parties work in the Assembly of the Republic, they work in the party, and so it seems clear to me, but I’m not the one who goes, I’m not a lawyer and I don’t comment on the judiciary,” – he said.

Former SDP leader Ruy Rio, who was the target of raids on his home last week, has responded with strong criticism of the government ministry, saying the practice is spreading to all parties. The current leader of the SDP, Luis Montenegro, expressed confidence that the law was being followed and criticized the disproportionate means.

The case has raised doubts in the laws: PS said it intends to “clarify” that “integrated governance” is possible, many criticisms of the work of justice, including former PS parliamentary leader and current president of the Economic and Social Council, Francisco Assis, who asked for political courage correct negative aspects in the functioning of justice in Portugal.

On July 12, CNN reported live on the searches at the home of former SDP leader Ruy Rio in Porto and at the national headquarters in Lisbon, citing “suspicions of embezzlement and abuse of power.”

According to the TV channel, the alleged misuse of public money in the administration of the party from 2018 to 2021 from the funds of the Assembly of the Republic intended for consultations with parliamentary groups and which will be used to pay party officials who do not work in parliament.

The first PSD reaction came in the morning. In a statement, the party assured that it would fully cooperate with the judicial police without further comment.

While his house was being ransacked, CNN broadcast live Rui Rio’s first reaction on the balcony, saying he was calm and joking about the situation.

As reported, the ongoing investigation was based on a complaint by party officials in 2020.