Despite the fact that he is “one of their own”, the appointment today of former health minister Paulo Macedo to State bank Caixa Geral de Depósitos’ top job hasn’t calmed PSD criticism. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Though the PSD’s benches “respect and admire” Macedo, the controversy in which CGD is currently mired has never been about people, PSD MP Leitão Amaro told journalists this afternoon. It is all about government mismanagement – “a question of choices, bad decisions and incompetence”, he stressed.
Whatever administration is in charge, “there are basic rules” that must apply: “duties of transparency, limits to salaries, all the statutory rules of public sector management”.
What Amaro was basically telling the government was ‘we won’t start going easy on you just because you have appointed a former PSD politician’.
The party will continue to demand ‘explanations’ over how CGD was allowed to get to the sorry stage in which an entire administration walked out, when it was meant to be embarking on a vital €5 billion recapitalisation plan (click here).
Thus the PSD will be sending a new list of questions to prime minister António Costa, and has no intention of “abdicating any of the prerogatives” it may have – including the power to call Costa to the parliamentary inquiry due to begin into the whole CGD fiasco.
Amaro’s tirade came shortly after the government confirmed in a statement that Macedo would be taking the place of António Domingues at the State bank, with Emílio Rui Vilar as Chairman.
The duo will now be rapidly choosing the remaining members of their team.
