Marcelo wants “complete clarification” and “by all means” about Novo Banco – Actualidade

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa took these positions in statements to journalists, after a visit to the Historical Society of Independence of Portugal, in Lisbon, without commenting on whether or not there should be a judicial investigation into the management of Novo Banco.

“I understand that this is an initiative of the judicial authorities, in which the President of the Republic does not interfere. What I say is that it is important that there is thorough clarification, by all means – be it jurisdictional, not jurisdictional, the that is understood by the competent authorities – of what happened, namely in the recent past, in the coming years, which involves, directly or indirectly, Portuguese money, “he said.

Asked if he has any information on the conclusion of the audit of Novo Banco covering the period from 2000 to 2018, the head of state replied: “I have no information at all. I am just checking that we are on July 28 and it was postponed. for July. “

Asked about the news published today by Público newspaper that Novo Banco “sold 13,000 properties at a discounted price in the Cayman Islands” and “lent the money to those who bought it”, whose identity is unknown, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa pointed out who has been insisting on the “importance of an audit of that financial institution”.

The President of the Republic said that he has repeated this message for “maybe two years, more month, less month”, focusing not only on the “transition and start-up of the New Bank” period, but also on the “most recent” period.

“I continue to understand that it is essential to clarify what has come to light now, but of many other important questions for the financial system, but above all, for the democratic state and for the Portuguese,” he added.

The head of state stressed that the Portuguese, “directly or indirectly, through the Resolution Fund and the guarantee or guarantees given by the State, are called to participate in what is a commitment within the financial system” and defended that for this reason “they have all the right to know “the destination” of their financial contributions “.

In March last year, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa agreed to the audit request then announced by the Government to the Novo Banco accounts and considered that it should cover not only the period until the resolution of the former Banco Espírito Santo (BES), in 2014, but also in the post-resolution period.

Faced with the fact that the Prime Minister, António Costa, at that time excluded an audit of the period after BES’s resolution on the grounds that “it is not up to the Government to supervise Banco de Portugal”, the head of state declared: ” What I am asked for is my opinion. My opinion remains “.

Novo Banco, which took part of BES’s banking activity following the 2014 resolution, was sold in 2017 to the North American fund Lone Star, which holds 75% of its capital, the remaining 25% being owned by the Resolution Fund bank, an entity managed by Banco de Portugal.

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