“How is it that the same Government that prohibits music festivals in the summer will now authorize Avante?” – Observer

The realization of Avante! “It doesn’t make any sense” and it is an “unbelievable” decision, defended Luís Marques Mendes, in his comment space at SIC. The political commentator does not understand that the PCP “insists” on holding the party “in the traditional way” and that the DGS and the Government “prepare to authorize” the event.

It is that, argues Marques Mendes, it is not a “political issue”, but a public health issue. For this reason, he says, the PCP should set an example, “as a responsible and institutional party”, to avoid the “risk of new contagions and a new wave”. And he remembers that the other parties canceled their respective summer reentrées.

Furthermore, it is, he considers, a matter of “coherence”. “The Government and the DGS should not authorize the holding of the Avante! Party, especially in that non-political part of the music festival. Here is a question of consistency. How is it that the same government that prohibits music festivals in the summer for public health reasons will now authorize a music festival in September, only that it is carried out by the Communist Party? People ask: are there children and stepchildren, isn’t the law the same for everyone? ”

The political commentator also shot that, if examples are not given or coherence is shown, “the authorities will lose their reason and authority”.

On the debate surrounding the return of the public to the stands of football stadiums, Marques Mendes is of the opinion that in the next national championship “it should not be allowed public”, at least “until the end of the year”. Football has “potential for emotions and violence”, for gatherings, being “a stage that generates the risk of contagion”.

“People have to understand that we are in a very special moment, we have the situation of the pandemic controlled, but it is not resolved. (…) We are serious candidates to have, in September or October, a new wave of contagions ”. In addition, September is the month of return to school, another risk factor. “Between education and football, there must be primacy for education.”

Even so, the situation in Portugal “continues to improve” and last week was the first in which Portugal was below the European average in terms of new cases per thousand inhabitants. That is why the UK no longer has “any reason to maintain restrictions”. “From now on, just because of ill will.”

Marques Mendes also revealed that he received a letter from the president of Novo Banco, António Ramalho, stating that the institution will ask an “independent” evaluation from an “internationally renowned consultant”, about the sale of the property portfolio, which generated controversy . The objective, said the commentator, is “to respond impartially to the doubts that have been raised”.

In addition, the bank’s financing of an investment fund “already had prior authorization from the European Union”. Novo Banco will also go back to giving explanations to the Assembly of the Republic, in September.

Suspicions of corruption surrounding Spanish emeritus king Juan Carlos put Spain in a “very serious” and “critical” situation. “The monarchy is being strongly discredited” and Juan Carlos’s exile “is not a solution”, but an “illusion”.

“In Spain, the idea remains that the king fled the country to escape justice and responsibility. For others, the sensation and temptation remains that this is the time for justice to be ruthless with the king in the face of his behavior ”. Although the emeritus king had an “irreplaceable role” in the Spanish transition to democracy, “as long as he is alive, the latest events, such as the suspicions of corruption, will always accompany him, will strongly undermine the Spanish monarchy and complicate life by King Felipe VI ”.

The Social Democrat finally said that if Barcelona or Atletico Madrid make it to the Champions League semi-finals, “the king of Spain comes to Lisbon” to watch the team’s games.

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