Former government aide Frederico Pinheiro, sacked following one of the most bizarre and poorly recounted incidents in the PS Socialist government’s history of less than exemplary incidents, has filed a criminal complaint for defamation against both the prime minister, António Costa and the minister he ‘refused to sack’, João Galamba. Mr Pinheiro, who has just released a damning book about the government’s handling of matters relating to the sale of national airline TAP, claims that not only was he unjustly ‘accused’ by the PM and Mr Galamba, the narrative used has created “irreparable personal and professional consequences”. Questioned about this development, the PM – currently in Brussels – said he has “no intention of talking of national politics”. This is the PM’s habitual stance when out of the country.
