At a press conference held at the PS headquarters in Lisbon, Marcos Perestrello, spokesperson for the socialist party’s candidacy in the May 18 legislative elections, addressed both the previous day’s statement from the prime minister’s office and today’s Council of Ministers at the Bolhão Market in Porto.
“We are witnessing the live and direct instrumentalization of the State in the service of party interests,” he accused.
The socialist described “this overlap between what is private, public, and partisan” as “ethically unacceptable, politically inadmissible, and democratically intolerable.”
Marcos Perestrello asserted that the Government is “campaigning for the PSD,” with government members engaging in multiple campaign activities.
The vice-president of the parliament highlighted what he saw as a contrast with the behavior of the PS Government during the management period.
The Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, denied breaching “duties of neutrality and impartiality” by holding a Council of Ministers in the Bolhão Market in Porto, where he was accompanied by the newly announced candidate for the City Hall of Porto, Pedro Duarte.
Following the Council of Ministers held today at the Bolhão Market in Porto, Montenegro’s government proceeded to a lunch on Rua Santa Catarina, where they took the opportunity to distribute kisses and well-wishes for health.
The Government later clarified that it had informed all parliamentary groups about holding the Council of Ministers in Porto and invited deputies from all parties, as is customary during the excursions of government members.
This clarification was provided by a government source to Lusa after Prime Minister Luís Montenegro was questioned about sending messages to PSD militants to be present today at the Bolhão Market, which he said he was unaware of.
According to a government source, on Tuesday, the Government informed “all parliamentary groups” about this event and invited deputies from all parties, as is typical during the movements of government members.
