President of the Assembly of the Republic says that PGR must go to parliament to explain processes that create political crises

The president of the Assembly of the Republic (AR), José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, believes that the Attorney General of the Republic, Lucília Gago, should go to parliament to explain the processes that caused political crises. Speaking to Antena 1, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco said that Lucília Gago should speak so that a climate of suspicion is not created.

José Pedro Aguiar-Branco said that he does not believe that “there is premeditated conduct, on the left or right, to create political facts through criminal investigation”.

“Any one of us does not want to believe that there is premeditated conduct on the left or right to cause a certain political fact through a criminal investigation, but the truth is that no one lives alone in the world and it needs to be explained, because if it is explained and if the situation when explained makes it clear that suspicion does not exist, I think we are contributing to these two worlds coexisting in a healthier way for democracy”, he said.

As a guest at the edition that marked the four years of Antena 1’s Variable Geometry program, the president of the AR considers that a regime pact is essential for the clarification of cases in court, but with a methodology “to get there”.

“I hope the pact happens. The methodology to get there is important,” he said.

José Pedro Aguiar-Branco thus commented on issues related to the Legislative and Regional elections in Madeira, which originated in investigations by the Public Ministry.

Asked whether justice tramples on democracy, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco said he could not make a conclusion of that nature.

“Because I assume that things happen not with that intention and that this happens involuntarily, it even more justifies the need to clarify and have spaces where the Portuguese can understand, I think the Assembly of the Republic is the space of excellence for this happen,” he said.

José Pedro Aguiar-Branco was Minister of Justice in 2004 and proposed a regime pact for the sector, which is behind schedule, having already made reference to the need for the Attorney General of the Republic to give explanations in Parliament.

The president of the AR also said that he considers the regime of incompatibility of politicians to be excessive.

“I think that an excessive incompatibility regime was created in Portugal that led to this. I am in favor of the maximum expression of the register of interest so that in the event of a conflict, I, as a deputy occupying an executive position, can be scrutinized, if I have done anything that violates that conflict of interest, I will be punished”, mentioned.

In José Pedro Aguiar-Branco’s opinion, so much incompatibility makes it difficult to recruit political personnel for parties.

However, the president of the AR understands that parties have to open themselves to society, with greater participation, involvement and party recruitment.