Assembly of the Republic President Augusto Santos Silva this Monday defended that individuals with a more technical profile, such as the outgoing TAP president, should not participate in meetings of a political nature.
Augusto Santos Silva was answering reporters in Tabua about Christine Urmier-Widener’s meeting on 17 January with socialist deputies and government officials ahead of parliamentary hearings.
“The parliamentary groups that support the government and that government can and should meet periodically at the appropriate political level, but these meetings should not involve other persons who, by virtue of their more technical profile or the duties entrusted to them – be it the head administration directly from the state, whether it be the head of the indirect administration or the head of the business sector of the state,” said the President of the Assembly of the Republic, who participated in the ceremony of the Day of the Municipality of Tabua, in the district of Coimbra.
According to Augusto Santos Silva, individuals with a more technical profile, such as Christine Urmier-Widener, “should not participate in meetings of a more political nature.”
The chairman of the parliament stressed that he did not agree “with meetings that mix technical and political nature.”
“As far as parliament is concerned, parliamentary groups are free to meet as they see fit and with whom they want, and prepare for parliamentary activities by collecting information and even opinions that they consider useful,” he added.
However, in statements to journalists, Augusto Santos Silva left a recommendation to parliamentary groups: “to make a clear distinction between a political character and a technical character.”
“People with political functions, such as members of the government or deputies, should participate in meetings of a political nature,” he stressed.
The AR President also addressed communications between TAP President and then Secretary of State for Infrastructure Hugo Mendez.
“It is also very important for the Portuguese state to continue to strengthen itself and always maintain institutional relationships. The level of informality, as if people knew each other and addressed each other by name, even if this happens, should not be mixed with institutional relations,” he noted.
According to Augusto Santos Silva, a government member who oversees a public company or directorate-general should “acquire an institutional character” in his communications and contacts with this institution, which is under the supervision of his tutelage.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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