PS says that addressing the colonial past in a “statement of circumstances” is disrespecting history

The head of the PS list for the Europeans considered this Monday that addressing Portugal’s responsibility for crimes committed during the colonial era and the payment of reparations in the context of “a declaration of circumstances” is disrespectful to History.

Speaking to journalists at the Constitutional Court, in Lisbon, on the sidelines of the delivery of the lists for the European elections on June 9, Marta Temido argued that these issues are “too sensitive to be able to speak ‘en passant’, to be dealt with in the context light, light, of a statement of circumstance”.

“And I think that this, in some way, is disrespecting what History is, what is the involvement of all parties in a historical process”, he stated.

Asked if she was criticizing the President of the Republic, the socialist replied that “it’s not a criticism, it’s an observation”.

Regarding the initiative that Chega announced for parliament to condemn the President of the Republic’s statements about possible reparation for the Portuguese colonial past, the former Minister of Health limited herself to saying that “Chega’s initiatives are Chega’s initiatives” .

“It’s not worth making big comments about this, other than to say that democracy has its own rules and we hope that all political forces respect what are the essential rules of democracy”, added Marta Temido.

For the Liberal Initiative, the leader, Rui Rocha, considered that “the country in recent days, unfortunately, has talked much more about the past than it should”.

“We now have this European election, which is very important for the Portuguese, because much of what impacts the lives of the Portuguese is decided at European level, and the past should be closed”, he argued.

Rui Rocha also stated that “others want to use this discussion, which is now closed, to continue to lead the news”, in a criticism of Chega, refusing to “give a platform to these attempts at protagonism”.

“We are here to talk about the future of the Portuguese in Portugal and Europe”, highlighted the liberal.

PAN spokesperson, Inês de Sousa Real, refused to participate in “Chega’s media ‘show off’”.

“What Chega is once again doing is numbers, instead of being in the Assembly of the Republic working on the problems and difficulties and the cost of living that people continue to feel. We need, once and for all in the Assembly of the Republic, to ensure that there is space for debate around the structural reforms that the country needs and not in media circuses, for a right to reparation”, he criticized.

Inês de Sousa Real considered that, “as unfortunate as Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s words were, the right to reparation for former colonies is a right that must be talked about and talked about, but in another context and with another type of intervening party, as is the case with the Government” and “it is not consistent with throwing certain ideas into the air”.

The BE coordinator, Mariana Mortágua, refused to comment on the topic.

On Sunday, Chega announced that it will deliver a proposal for a vote to condemn Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa to the Assembly of the Republic.

According to the initiative released by the party, Chega wants parliament to express “its deepest and most severe condemnation of Mr. President of the Republic, and of the words he spoke, for reinforcing the idea of ​​reparation and stating that Portugal must pay compensation for its historical past in the former colonies”