Five hours today separated the news of the first judicial searches at the prime minister's official residence, in São Bento, and the announcement of the resignation of the head of the socialist majority executive António Costa, after almost eight years in office.
The searches, for the first time at the prime minister's official residence, targeting spaces used by António Costa's chief of staff, extended to several ministries and were carried out as part of an investigation into the lithium and green hydrogen business.
The resignation has already been accepted by the President of the Republic, who summoned the parties with parliamentary seats for Wednesday and the State Council for Thursday. The head of state will speak to the country next
Film of the events
9h
The newspaper Público reports PSP searches in several ministries and in the official residence of the prime minister, in São Bento, adding that António Costa's chief of staff Vítor Escária, the close consultant to the chief executive Diogo Lacerda Machado and the president of the Chamber of Sines, the socialist Nuno Mascarenhas, as well as two company executives.
The newspaper also reported that the Minister of the Environment, Duarte Cordeiro, and the Minister of Infrastructure, João Galamba, as well as the former Minister of the Environment, João Pedro Matos Fernandes, were being searched and accused would be accused, as part of an investigation into business of lithium, in Montalegre.
10h
The prime minister's communications office confirms to Lusa the existence of searches in the office of Vítor Escária, the prime minister's chief of staff, adding that there are no comments from São Bento on the justice's action.
10h
The President of the Republic receives the Prime Minister at the Palácio de Belém, in Lisbon, at the request of António Costa.
10h
Political parties comment on the searches and demand explanations.
The PCP begins by saying, in a statement, that it wants to see “the findings” of the investigation into lithium first and then “the due consequences of the conclusions drawn”.
The first statement in the Assembly of the Republic is from the leader of the Liberal Initiative, Rui Rocha, who argues that the President of the Republic should dissolve parliament if the prime minister does not submit his resignation, considering that the country is “involved in rot”.
11h
The Prime Minister cancels his planned agenda for Porto.
12h
The PSD calls an urgent meeting of the Permanent Committee (hard core of the leadership) of the party «in view of the seriousness of the situation involving the central base of the Government» and promises to speak «to the country» at the end.
The PAN spokesperson, Inês Sousa Real, points to the Minister of Infrastructure, considering that this government official is unable to remain in office and calls on the Prime Minister to provide explanations to the country following the investigation into lithium exploration .
12h
In the only statement on the matter, the Attorney General's Office (PGR) reveals that it will analyze, within the scope of an investigation opened at the Supreme Court of Justice, allegations made by suspects involving the name and authority of the Prime Minister.
«During the course of the investigations, it emerged, moreover, that suspects were invoking the name and authority of the Prime Minister and his intervention to unblock procedures in the aforementioned context. Such references will be independently analyzed within the scope of an investigation opened at the Supreme Court of Justice, as that is the competent forum", reads a note released by the PGR.
Questioned by Lusa after the Prime Minister's statements in São Bento, the Attorney General's Office did not clarify whether the autonomous investigation into António Costa had already been opened by the Public Ministry at the Supreme Court of Justice.
According to the PGR, the prime minister's chief of staff, Vítor Escária, the mayor of Sines, Nuno Mascarenhas, two administrators from the Start Campus company and a consultant were arrested.
According to various media, the consultant is Diogo Lacerda Machado, a lawyer and businessman close to the prime minister, while the administrators of the Start Campus de Sines company will be Afonso Salema and Rui Oliveira Neves.
The MP also named the Minister of Infrastructure, João Galamba, and the president of the Board of Directors of the Portuguese Environment Agency, Nuno Lacasta, as defendants.
The crimes of malfeasance, active and passive corruption of political office holders and influence peddling will be at stake.
17 home searches were carried out, five searches were carried out at a lawyer's office and home and 20 non-home searches were carried out, namely in spaces used by the head of the Prime Minister's office; at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Action; at the Ministry of Infrastructure and the State Secretariat for Energy and Climate; at the Sines City Council and at the headquarters of other public entities and companies.
12h
The parties' reactions continue.
For BE, parliamentary leader Pedro Filipe Soares, calls for justice to be swift, “no matter who it hurts”, and the sole deputy of Livre asks the prime minister to speak “as soon as possible to the country” about the investigation ongoing.
The president of Chega asked the prime minister to resign, considering that “the zero level of the Government's credibility” had been reached, and argued that, if he did not do so, the President of the Republic would have to dissolve the parliament.
The parliamentary leader of the PCP, Paula Santos, argues that António Costa must explain to the country and that “all consequences” must be removed.
The president of the CDS-PP, Nuno Melo, argues that the prime minister must “immediately resign” and, if António Costa does not do so, the President of the Republic must dissolve parliament and call early elections.
13h
The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, receives the Prime Minister, António Costa, at the Palácio de Belém, in Lisbon, for the second time, in a meeting that lasts around 10 minutes.
13h
The Prime Minister announces that he will speak to the country at 14 pm, after searches in São Bento and the Public Ministry announcing that it is the target of an independent investigation by the Supreme Court of Justice into lithium and hydrogen projects.
13h
It is reported that the Attorney General of the Republic traveled to Belém today to be received by the President of the Republic, after a first meeting between the Prime Minister and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, following the investigation into the lithium and hydrogen business.
Contacted by Lusa, the communications office of the Attorney General's Office confirms that Lucília Gago was at the Palácio de Belém after the search operation became known and that culminated in the arrests of Vítor Escária, chief of staff of António Costa, the president of Câmara de Sines, Nuno Mascarenhas, two administrators from the Start Campus company and a consultant.
The Attorney General's trip to Belém took place even before the press release released by the PGR about today's operation and took place between the Prime Minister's two trips to speak with Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
14h
In a communication to the country, from the Prime Minister's official residence, António Costa announces that he has submitted his resignation to the President of the Republic.
“Obviously, I submitted my resignation to the President of the Republic,” he declared.
In the phase of responding to journalists, António Costa announced that the President of the Republic accepted his resignation and that he will not re-apply for the position if the head of state calls early legislative elections.
In the same statement, António Costa refused to commit “any illicit or objectionable act” and expressed his complete willingness to collaborate with justice “in whatever he deems necessary”.
15h
The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, accepts the resignation of António Costa from the position of prime minister and convenes the parties with parliamentary seats for Wednesday and the Council of State for Thursday, announcing that he will speak to the country next .
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