José Sena Goulão / Lusa
Nuno Melo, Minister of National Defense
Defense Minister protects Prime Minister and Admitting to exchange American fighters for European planes and send Portuguese troops to Ukraine in a context of ceasefire.
Already an eye on the campaign for the next legislative elections, Nuno Melo guarantees that he is “full -bodied” with the project of the Democratic Alliance (AD). And post-election scenarios, “soon you see”, but in the public/Renaissance this Wednesday, I did not want to make scenarios-especially with the liberal initiative (IL).
After the IL led by Rui Rocha is advanced to the coalition formed by the PSD and CDS-PP, ensuring that early May, and Paulo Portas suggest that the ideal scenario at this time was a pre-election coalition Ad-Un, the Minister of Defense says Wanting AD “to be worth” and “without depending on others”.
“At this time, AD must focus on a great effort so that it can deserve and justify a result that allows it to be worth and not depending on others. This implies not having many distractions and not talking about other scenarios. Talk about other scenarios why? I have to focus on a scenario that will give greater advantage to a political project, which is AD, ”he said.
About the Spinumviva case involving Luís Montenegro, being already by the Attorney General’s Office (PGR), Melo argues that The Prime Minister “did nothing illegal” and “did not commit any criminal offenses.” And complains that a “simple” anonymous complaint raises a process.
“Unfortunately, our judicial system allows an anonymous complaint, for example, to guarantee a lawsuit and that someone is made up of the simple question of an anonymous complaint,” said the CDS-PP leader.
“The world has already changed”
In the defense area, Nuno Melo spoke about the issue of replacing F-16 aircraft: he should not acquire the F-35 to the United States-“the world has already changed.”
“The F-16 are at the end of the cycle and we will have to think about their replacement. But in our choices we cannot be oblivious to the geopolitical engaging. The recent position of the United States, in the context of NATO and in the international geostrategic plan, has to make us think about the best options because our allies’ predictability is a greater good to take into account, ”he said.
“There are several options that have to be considered, in the context of European production and also taking into account the return that these options can have for the Portuguese economy,” says: “The world has changed,” and the US as an ally, “which over decades has always been predictable, may bring limitations in the use, maintenance, components, all that has to do with the guarantee that aircraft will be used and will be used in all types of scenarios.”
Although it did not specify, Nuno Melo implied that French alternatives may be considered.
And it admits the sending of Portuguese military to Ukraine, but only in a context of ceasefire and peacekeeping.
