Through his official account on the social network ‘Twitter’, the social democratic leader states that “Law 44/86, which Mr. PM invokes to protect the PCP, does not say that the congress cannot be postponed, much less , prohibits the Government from determining that it must be carried out by videoconference ”.
“He doesn’t do it because he doesn’t want to,” continues Rui Rio, accusing the executive of António Costa of not wanting to “treat all Portuguese equally.”
The legal regime of the state of siege and the state of emergency establishes that “meetings of the statutory bodies of political parties, unions and professional associations will in no case be prohibited, dissolved or submitted to prior authorization”.
The prime minister declined today to comment on the holding of party meetings such as the PCP congress, arguing that the law of the state of emergency “is clear and exhaustive” by preventing them from being banned, dissolved or submitted to authorization.
At a press conference at Palácio da Ajuda, in Lisbon, to announce the new measures of the Council of Ministers to combat covid-19, António Costa was asked about the holding of the PCP congress, next weekend, in Loures, in full state of emergency.
Showing a sheet with the law of the state of emergency, “of September 30, 1986, a very old law that has remained unchanged”, the prime minister considered that “the law is clear and exhaustive” since “the meetings statutory bodies of political parties, unions and professional associations will in no case be prohibited, dissolved or subject to prior authorization ”.
Asked to comment on the perception that this major party meeting, which will bring together 600 people, may have public opinion, since it takes place at a time when there will be a ban on circulation between municipalities, António Costa declined to discuss perceptions and made it clear that what has to exist and exists “is the definition of DGS rules that have to be respected”.
“It is not for the Prime Minister to comment on the decisions of the different political parties. The Prime Minister is simply responsible for respecting the functioning of the different political parties and the options they make ”, he replied only.
The Prime Minister was clear in stating that “the law of the state of emergency does not allow under any circumstances to be prohibited, dissolved or submitted to prior authorization to meetings of statutory bodies, namely political parties”.
“Even if the Government wanted to, even if the Assembly of the Republic wanted to, even if the President of the Republic wanted none of us could do it under the law that has been in force since 1986. That is how it is in the law”, he justified.
The 21st PCP National Congress will take place between Friday and Sunday, in Loures.
–
