Tiago Petinga / Lusa
The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, accompanied by the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro
Presidential candidate Cotrim de Figueiredo considers that the pressure that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is putting on the Government in health matters may be insufficient.
At the end of a visit to Praça da Fruta das Caldas da Rainha, in the district of Leiria, this Saturday, the candidate, supported by the Liberal Initiative, said that the country learned on Friday night that the President of the Republic frequently talks about the topic with the Prime Minister.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stated that he had already spoken to the Prime Minister on Thursday about the deaths that occurred without help arriving and considered that Luís Montenegro is “aware of the importance of the problem”.
“Apparently, we were unaware that these contacts are, apparently, daily or almost daily with your prime minister on health issues”, he said. Cotrim de Figueiredo.
The liberal said he did not want to be “unfair” with Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, especially because he said he was unaware of the “nature and tone” of the contacts. However, consider that the pressure exerted on the Government in health matters may be insufficient.
The MEP recognized that, institutionally, the President of the Republic must talk about these topics with the Prime Minister.
“And only in a case of extreme gravity or impossibility of resolving any other way should these pressures be taken outside the restricted scope of private contacts between the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister”, pointed out the former IL leader, accompanied by former PSD deputy Liliana Reis.
In his opinion, these health-related issues should be dealt with with Luís Montenegro and not with the minister.
“And the composition of the Government is up to the Prime Minister. Therefore, it would be confusing if the President of the Republic started to have direct contacts with Minister A or Minister B”, he stressed.
Marques Mendes defends Marcelo
Presidential candidate Marques Mendes said he understands the “perfectly legitimate” criticism he has heard about health. However, he argued that the The problem can only be resolved with structural changes, considering that a head of state does not have to evaluate ministers.
At the end of a contact with the population in Viana do Castelo, Marques Mendes was asked by journalists about the criticism he has heard on the street about Ana Paula Martins, shortly after hearing a lady say that the Minister of Health “is no good and has to go to the street”.
“I understand people’s criticisms, people approached me with more than legitimate concerns. Until some structural changes are introduced in the organization and management of the National Health Service, I think that, unfortunately, several of these problems will remain”, he said.
Asked if he is not tougher on minister Ana Paula Martins because the minister is from a PSD government, the candidate supported by this party and the CDS-PP responded negatively.
“No, for a very simple reason. I defined many months ago that a President of the Republic does not have to evaluate a minister or ask for a minister to resign. This is not the task of the President of the Republic”, he stated.
Mendes considered that the biggest demand he could place on the Government is to demand structural measures, which he even detailed, and which he defended as “inevitable”.
