Portuguese Communist Party Leader Demands Explanation over Controversy of TAP CEO Meeting

The General Secretary of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), Paulo Raimundo, said today that someone is lying and will have to explain themselves about the controversy between Minister Joao Galamba and his former deputy regarding the preparatory meeting with the former CEO of TAP. During a visit to the agricultural fair Ovibeja, Raimundo used the proverb “when May arrives, whoever did not plow will have to plow” when asked by journalists about the controversy surrounding the preparatory meeting with the former CEO of TAP.

He added, “We are certain of three things: firstly, May will arrive, secondly, someone lied, and they will have to explain themselves, and thirdly, TAP, which is the target of all of this, is at risk of being privatized.”

Referring again to the same proverb, Raimundo admitted that Prime Minister Antonio Costa “is waiting for May” to speak on the matter and reiterated that “when May comes, someone will have to explain themselves.”

“There is a problem, which is evident and worth questions, answers, or combinations. The fact is that someone lied, someone is lying in this whole situation, and we need to know who lied, and they need to explain themselves,” he said.

The Communist Party leader argued that “the large-scale crime underway is the privatization of TAP” and maintained that the process must be stopped and the airline must have public management.

As for the rest, it is essential to clarify what needs to be clarified, identify who lied, someone did lie, there is no doubt about it, and someone will have to explain themselves,” he said.

During the visit to the fair, accompanied by Beja’s elected communist MP, Joao Dias, and other leaders, Raimundo and the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, crossed paths at the entrance of the event and greeted each other with a handshake.

The controversy arose after Frederico Pinheiro, Joao Galamba’s former deputy, accused the Ministry of Infrastructure of attempting to withhold information from the TAP inquiry committee about the “preparatory meeting” with TAP’s former CEO.