Government refuses to send TAP inquiry legal opinions for sacking

  • Lusa
  • 19 April 2023

"The opinion in question does not fall within the scope of the parliamentary commission of enquiry (CPI)", says the deputy minister and parliamentary affairs, Ana Catarina Mendes.

Portugal’s government on Wednesday justified its refusal to send the legal opinions that backed the resignation of the former chief executive of the company to the TAP commission of enquiry with the need to “safeguard the public interest”.

In a note sent to Lusa, the office of the deputy minister and parliamentary affairs, Ana Catarina Mendes, claims that “the opinion in question does not fall within the scope of the parliamentary commission of enquiry (CPI)” and “its disclosure involves risks in the legal defence of the state’s position”.

“The government’s response to the CPI is therefore aimed at safeguarding the public interest,” said the note from Catarina Mendes’ office.

The government claims that “the processes of the resignation of the previous CEO and Chairman of TAP have been the subject of public demonstrations that could lead to litigation between the individuals concerned and the state”.

The office of Ana Catarina Mendes expressed the government’s “full availability to collaborate with parliament and, in particular, with the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry”, ensuring that “respect is absolute”.

She rejected, however, “a climate of permanent tension around a CPI that should work with tranquillity and with which the government cooperates with all institutional loyalty”.

This position comes on the day that the PSD, through MP Paulo Moniz, accused the government of “acting outside the law” by refusing to send the TAP commission of enquiry the opinions that gave “legal backing” to the dismissal for just cause of the former chief executive of TAP, Christine Ourmières-Widener.

The PSD coordinator on the TAP commission of enquiry, Paulo Moniz, explained that the party had requested the legal grounds cited by Finance Minister Fernando Medina “at the press conference on 6 March when he announced the dismissal of the TAP CEO for just cause”.

“We were surprised, extremely surprised, in fact, astonished, that this information was not forwarded to us, and it is immediately clear that the ministers not only misled the Portuguese with regard to the alleged legal security of their decision, but it is also clear that these same ministers act outside the law,” the social democrat MP said.