Marcelo sees no “specific political problem” in Costa’s stopover in Hungary
The President of the Republic said today that he saw no “specific political problem” in the Prime Minister’s stopover in Hungary, where he attended a soccer match with Viktor Orbán, stressing that the two countries are allies within the European Union.
“Hungary is a member state of the European Union (EU). [Viktor Orbán] is a prime minister of the European Union. We can agree or disagree with him on immigration, on economic and social policy and on many other things, but he is part of the group of countries that are our natural allies within the EU,” said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
The Portuguese head of state spoke to RTP1 in Belém, before watching the Portuguese national team play today against Bosnia-Herzegovina at Lisbon’s Estádio da Luz.
On May 31, António Costa, who was traveling aboard an Air Force Falcon 50, made a stopover in Budapest on his way to Moldavia for the European Political Community summit, without this stopover appearing on his public agenda, reported Observador.
According to the same newspaper, the Portuguese head of government attended the Europa League final between Sevilla and Roma, the Italian team coached by José Mourinho, alongside Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
The stop in Hungary has been criticized by the opposition, which is demanding explanations from António Costa.
PP questioned the Prime Minister’s office on the subject, but has yet to receive a reply.
“The fact that on his way he made a stopover or stopped for an hour and a half or two hours to support a Portuguese and watch a soccer match, frankly, I don’t see where the political problem is,” said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
On Friday, the President of the Republic had already stated that the Prime Minister had informed him of the stopover in Budapest.
Today, asked whether the stopover should be on the Prime Minister’s public agenda, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa referred the question to António Costa, but said he was convinced it was a “last-minute” decision.
“I think he made up his mind at the last minute. He came for an audition and went straight to Moldova. I have the impression that he must have thought it was on the way, that he had to make a technical stopover and that he took the opportunity to watch soccer,” he stressed.
