During the opening session of the 21st edition of the PSD Summer University, Hugo Soares delivered strong criticism of the leaders of Chega and the PS for accusing the Prime Minister of being absent during firefighting efforts. He highlighted that expert recommendations following the 2017 fires concluded that political presence in operational areas had been detrimental.
“The Prime Minister was always in command of the operations. He went to civil protection as needed but, indeed, did not contribute to the ‘show-off’ nor complicate the operations,” stated the PSD’s secretary-general.
However, Hugo Soares differentiated the proposals of the two main opposition parties made in recent weeks. He viewed “positively” the PS proposal to create a new Independent Technical Commission, “distanced from politicians and partisan battles,” although he accused the socialists of being “a bit frivolous in their criticism of the Government.”
Regarding Chega’s proposal for a parliamentary inquiry commission to assess fire prevention and combat since 2017 and examine the “business and economic interests that allegedly thrive” with the fires, Hugo Soares expressed a negative evaluation.
“It seems absolutely untimely, absolutely useless, but, above all, completely inappropriate to establish a Parliamentary Inquiry Commission as proposed by the Chega Party. It is inappropriate because it does not serve its purposes, but above all, it is inappropriate because, with the pain, with the suffering, and with such a serious matter, partisan politics should be avoided, and that is what Deputy André Ventura is trying to do,” he accused.
