Miguel Albuquerque says he does what he wants and doesn’t need Montenegro’s support – Politics

The resigning president of the Government of Madeira, Miguel Albuquerque, who expressed his intention to re-apply for leadership of the regional PSD, stated this Saturday that he does what he wants and does not need the support of the social democratic leader, Luís Montenegro.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the closing of the European final of the game creation world championship ‘Game Jam Plus’, which took place in Funchal, Miguel Albuquerque was asked about Montenegro’s statement on Friday night that “perhaps it had a different decision” from yours.

“That’s his problem, it’s not mine. I do what I understand, in my judgment and in my conscience. It’s his opinion”, replied the resigned head of the Madeiran executive, of the PSD/CDS-PP coalition, and leader of Madeiran social democrats.

Regarding whether he has the support of Luís Montenegro, he highlighted: “I don’t need Lisbon’s support for anything, what I need is the support of the Madeiran people”.

Albuquerque resigned after being accused as part of a process investigating suspicions of corruption in Madeira, which led to the fall of his regional government, a PSD/CDS-PP coalition, with the parliamentary support of the PAN.

On Monday, the PSD/Madeira scheduled direct elections for March 21st and, at the end of the regional Political Commission meeting, Miguel Albuquerque indicated that he will “almost certainly” run again, considering that he has the political conditions.

This position was conveyed days after the three detained in the judicial investigation into suspected corruption were released. The criminal investigation judge found that there was no evidence of a crime.

On Friday, in the debate with the eight parties with parliamentary representation, on RTP, within the scope of the early legislative elections on March 10, Luís Montenegro was confronted with statements from him defending that a politician who is involved in a legal case must, ” on principle”, resign, contrasting the cases that led to the resignations of the Prime Minister, António Costa, and Miguel Albuquerque.

The PSD leader argued that, “in principle, it doesn’t make sense” and that “the concrete situation that may involve those involved in political activity” must be assessed.

Luís Montenegro said that the intention of Miguel Albuquerque, with whom he said he had not spoken, to re-apply is “his option”, which he respects.

On February 17th, the representative of the Republic, Ireneu Barreto, announced that he will keep the Government of Madeira in management until the head of State, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, decides whether to dissolve the Legislative Assembly, which can only happen after February 24th. March, six months after the last regional legislative elections.

If Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa chooses not to dissolve the regional parliament, the representative of the Republic will appoint “the president and other members of a new Regional Government”.

On January 24, the Judiciary Police (PJ) carried out around 130 home and non-home searches, mainly in Madeira, but also in the Azores and in several areas of the continent, as part of a process that investigates suspicions of active and passive corruption, participation economic activity in business, malfeasance, receiving or offering an undue advantage, abuse of powers and influence peddling.

Following this operation, the PJ detained the then mayor of Funchal, Pedro Calado (PSD), who has already resigned from his position, the leader of the construction group AFA, Avelino Farinha, and the main shareholder of the group linked to the civil construction Socicorreia , Custódio Correia. The defendants were released three weeks after their arrests.