Dignity of the post of Prime Minister is not compatible with suspicions over his integrity

"The dignity of the post of Prime Minister is not compatible with any suspicion over his integrity, good conduct and even more so, the suspicion of engaging in any criminal offense", claimed Prime Minister António Costa in the statement where he announced he had tendered his resignation to the President of the Republic.

António Costa claimed that "over these last almost eight years where I’ve been Prime Ministers, I have placed my heart and soul in serving Portugal and the Portuguese people".

"I was naturally fully willing to dedicate myself to ending the term of office the Portuguese entrusted in me, with all my energy".

However, "today I was surprised by the information, officially confirmed by the Prosecution Service’s press office that criminal proceedings against me would be initiated, or had been initiated already, by the Supreme Court.

"I am completely available to collaborate with justice in all that is deemed necessary to determine the truth, no matter on what", he said, adding: "I want to tell the Portuguese, looking in their eyes, that my conscience is not weighed down by any illegal act or even any reproachable deed".

The Prime Minister underlined that "as always, I place all my trust in the justice system and how it operates. The same justice I served all my life and whose Independence I always advocated".

"It is my understanding that the dignity of the post of Prime Minister is not compatible with any suspicion over his integrity, good conduct and even more so, the suspicion of engaging in any criminal offense", he stressed, adding that "therefore, under these circumstances, I have obviously tendered my resignation to the President of the Republic".

Acknowledgement

The Prime Minister thanked "first of all, the Portuguese, for the trust they placed in me over these years and the opportunity to lead the country in times that were as difficult as they were exciting".

He thanked "all the persons in charge of the sovereign bodies, the President of the Republic and of Parliament, for the way in which we have always maintained a healthy institutional solidarity", "the autonomous regions, the local government, and the social partners for the way in which we collectively acted in favour of our country".

He also thanked dearly "all those who served during my first three Governments", "all of the political leaders, the opposition parties, the parties with which were in parliament with me for several years, and, obviously, the Socialist Party".

"Lastly, a heartfelt acknowledgement to my family, especially my wife, for all her support, care, and many personal sacrifices endured over these last eight years".

António Costa concluded saying that "this a stage of my life that is now closing and I am closing it with my head held hight my conscious clear, and the same determination to serve Portugal and the Portuguese, in the exact same way as when I first stepped in here as Prime Minister".