António Costa has just announced to the country that he has resigned. «Obviously, I submitted my resignation to the President of the Republic», said the prime minister, in a statement to the country that he has just made at the Palácio de S. Bento.
The head of the Executive could not resist today's controversy that involved searches of various locations, such as the prime minister's official residence, due to the lithium (Montalegre and Boticas) and hydrogen (Sines) projects.
The Public Ministry has also announced that the Supreme will carry out an independent investigation into António Costa.
The prime minister said he was “surprised” by the decision for the Supreme Court to proceed with criminal proceedings against him.
“The practice of any illicit act or even any reprehensible act does not weigh on my conscience,” he assured.
Even so, António Costa considered that the «dignity of the prime minister's duties is not compatible with any suspicion regarding his integrity, good conduct, and even less the suspicion of committing a criminal act».
The Prime Minister guaranteed that his trust in Justice continues and is “as great as it was in the past”, and is not “above the law”.
Costa also thanked his members of the Government, the opposition parties and those from the former contraption.
«This is a stage in life that I close with my head held high and with a clear conscience», he said.
In response to journalists, António Costa assured that he will not re-apply for the position of prime minister. “No, I’m not going to reapply,” he said.
Regarding whether he is now taking a different position than he had at other times, such as the cases of Galamba or Eduardo Cabrita, Costa said that his functions, as prime minister, “are distinct”.
«It is essential that citizens have no doubt that whoever holds the role is above suspicion. I've never heard of this case", he also explained, saying that he only found out about the criminal case through a note from the Attorney General's Office.
The announcement of his dismissal comes after searches in São Bento, targeting his chief of staff Vítor Escária and members of his Government.
António Costa has been prime minister since November 2015.
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