Hugo Delgado / Lusa
The President of the Republic, António José Seguro
Seguro returned to Parliament the proposal approved by PSD, Chega and CDS that foresees fines of up to 4000 euros for anyone who raises party or ideological flags in public buildings.
The President of the Republic returned to parliament, without promulgation, the decree on rules for using flags in public buildings which had been approved in April with votes from PSD, Chega and CDS-PP.
Note published today on the website of the Presidency of the Republic indicates that António José Seguro “returned to the Assembly of the Republic, without promulgationthe Decree that establishes rules for the use of flags in public buildings”.
“The return was accompanied by the respective reasoned message, which will be published after it has been read by parliament”, the note also states.
The law in question prohibited “display, placement or hoisting” in public buildings with flags “of an ideological, partisan or associative nature, regardless of their legal nature” and foreign flags, with exceptions only provided for in “official acts of a diplomatic or protocol nature”.
This time, the flags allowed were that of Portugal, that of the European Union and those of “entities of the State, autonomous regions, local authorities and services and entities of a public nature, the Armed Forces, security forces and respective units”.
Old flags were also authorized “as long as they are in the context of their historical evocation” and also others “associated with institutional, educational or official recognition programs promoted by public entities”.
The diploma also provided fines between 200 and 4000 euros for anyone violating the law, with the amount to be determined taking into account whether the raising of unauthorized flags was negligent or intentional.
The diploma resulted from a amalgamation of several proposals similar and had the favorable votes of PSD, Chega and CDS-PP. PS, BE, PCP, Livre and PAN voted against and IL abstained.
With the presidential return, the diploma now returns to Parliament where it can be discussed again by deputies.
