‘My duty is to face the difficulties and I will not resign’ – António Costa
"The government's duty, my duty, is not to turn my back at a time of difficulty, it is to face up to the difficulties, and that is why I will not resign," António Costa said.
Portugal’s prime minister, António Costa, on Tuesday said that his and the government’s duty was to not turn their back to the country at a difficult time, ensuring that he would not resign.
At the beginning of the debate on the state budget, the president of the PSD, Rui Rio, asked Costa why he did not resign in the face of the announced rejection of the document.
In his reply, Costa acknowledged parliament’s competence to approve the document or not and the president’s complete legitimacy to decide on the dissolution or not of parliament.
“But the government also must interpret what its duty is to our country and the Portuguese people. I do not doubt it: the government’s duty, my duty, is not to turn my back at a time of difficulty, it is to face up to the difficulties, and that is why I will not resign,” he said.
