{"id":120977,"date":"2023-11-09T16:50:06","date_gmt":"2023-11-09T16:50:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leviolonrouge.com\/?p=120977"},"modified":"2023-11-09T16:50:06","modified_gmt":"2023-11-09T16:50:06","slug":"ursula-von-der-leyen-washes-her-hands-of-portugals-political-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leviolonrouge.com\/world-news\/ursula-von-der-leyen-washes-her-hands-of-portugals-political-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"Ursula von der Leyen washes her hands of Portugal\u2019s political crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has dodged questions over the corruption scandal engulfing Portuguese politics.<\/p>\n

When pressed on the crisis which has seen Portugal’s prime minister Antonio Costa resign, von der Leyen told reporters that now is the time for the “national authorities to investigate”.<\/p>\n

\u200cThe President of the European Commission refused to get drawn into the scandal acknowledging only that she was aware of the ongoing corruption probe through media coverage.<\/p>\n

Ms Von der Leyen said simply: “We are following the news from Portugal and it is now up to the national authorities to investigate.”<\/p>\n

It comes as Mr Costa decided to resign as Portugal’s Prime Minister hours after his chief of staff was arrested following police raids on several public buildings.<\/p>\n

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Portugal’s prosecutor’s office has announced that the Supreme Court was investigating the “use of the prime minister’s name and his involvement” in the alleged criminality.<\/p>\n

Also believed to have been arrested are the country’s minister of infrastructure, Joao Galamba, as well as the boss of the Portuguese environmental agency.<\/p>\n

Announcing his resignation on TV, Mr Costa said: “Obviously, I have presented my resignation to the president of the republic.<\/p>\n

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“I totally trust the justice system.”<\/p>\n

Mr Costa denied being aware of any wrongdoing but acknowledged he was unable to continue to lead the Government while the subject of investigation.<\/p>\n

He said: “I am not above the law and if Justice has any suspicions, it must be investigated.”<\/p>\n