PM Costa slams Novo Banco’s request for €600 million as ‘manifestly beyond necessities’

The extraordinary declaration by Novo Banco that it is on track to make a profit at last but still needs another €600 million from the government (click here) has been met with stupefaction by various political parties. Bloco de Esquerda called the situation “unacceptable” and “absolute violence” in the face of what the country is going through, PCP communists described it as “an affront to the Portuguese people”, but perhaps most importantly prime minister António Costa says the request “manifestly oversteps what is due”. The matter is now in the hands of the finance ministry.