Arrives changes conditions to make Government viable in Madeira: Albuquerque must resign in case of “definitive accusation”
Miguel Albuquerque’s resignation will come immediately when there is an accusation by the Public Ministry – it is with this change in demands that Chega announces itself as the party closest to making the regional government of Madeira viable on the edge of the debate and vote on the Government Program, which takes place this Thursday in the Regional Legislative Assembly.
Gregory Cunha
In no case is a favorable vote at stake, but there is a gap through which Albuquerque can get through. In a statement released this Wednesday night, the party led by André Ventura sets out the four conditions for “CHEGA-Madeira deputies to make the Government Program viable, through an abstention†and, thus, allow the Madeiran executive to enter into full functions.
“These four conditions were: Creation of an autonomous Office for preventing and combating corruption; carrying out an external audit of regional accounts over the last five years, making the results public; creation of a regional parliamentary commission of inquiry, under the coordination of Chega-Madeira, into the support granted, in recent years, by the Regional Government, to companies and business groups in the region and the public recognition of, in the event of definitive indictment by the Public Ministry, the immediate resignation of Miguel Albuquerque from all executive positionsâ€reads the statement entitled “Chega presents ultimatum to PSD Madeira for approval of the Government Program.
The first two proposals were already included in the new version of the Government Program delivered on Tuesday. That same day, Chega’s president, André Ventura, returned to put Miguel Albuquerque’s departure as a condition to make the Madeira Regional Government Program viable, but admitted that there were conversations and refused to “close scenarios”.
The scenario changes with the change in the condition of leaving Albuquerque, which goes from a prior condition to a term condition. But it requires a public commitment from the president of the Regional Government that he will resign and also includes the requirement for a commission of inquiry.
“Chega Madeira considers these four conditions to be of the utmost importance so that transparency, good governance and, above all, Miguel Albuquerque’s departure from executive positions is guaranteed, if the process in which he is indicted will undergo changes,” reads the statement, which quotes the party’s regional leader, Miguel Castro: “The four conditions we present are fundamental, we do not give up on them. PSD Madeira created a situation and must resolve it. To this end, the PSD must ensure that the factors indicated by us, especially the departure of Miguel Albuquerque, should the process in which he is already involved worsen and/or new processes arise.â€
The ball, therefore, passes back to Miguel Albuquerque who will have the opportunity, in this Thursday’s debate, to respond to Chega’s new demands, which has four deputies in the Regional Legislative Assembly. The PSD has 19 and the CDS, which has an agreement with the Social Democrats. The Liberal Initiative and the PAN have one deputy each and these parties also sat down at the table with the Regional Government to negotiate the new Government Program and saw their proposals included.
GOUVEIA MAN/Lusa
The initial Government Program was withdrawn from the vote after Miguel Albuquerque realized that it had no chance of being approved. He then announced that he would negotiate a new program with the various parties. But the PS, which has 11 deputies, and Juntos Pelo Povo (JPP), which has 9, refused to participate in the meetings. Chega’s abstention is, therefore, essential for Albuquerque to be able to enter into full functionality. The “ultimatum is made, Albuquerque has a few hours to respond.
