Statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister

In the last few days, there have been several news items on alleged actions undertaken by the Prime Minister on a professional and estate level, many of which are based on false presumptions, inaccuracies, incorrectness and/or highly questionable legal interpretations.

In this media frenzy, wrongs have been taken on as truths and the ensuing news items are biased right from the start.

This is what happened recently in "Visão" magazine, which categorically states the Prime Minister engaged in a fraudulent behaviour that never existed.

The Prime Minister never opened up accounts to evade tax liabilities. On the contrary, an analysis over time of the statements delivered to the Constitutional Court shows that the Prime Minister closed and consolidated several accounts over the years and has always reported these activities.

In the case of the last purchase of a one-bedroom apartment in Lisbon, the price was paid through a loan reported in the Prime Minister’s income statement, and the other funds were from his own wealth, also included in that statement, with only  a € 45 000 provision from an account not included therein, as the Prime Minister is not the account holder, rather his spouse.

The news item "Visão" magazine and "Correio da Manhã" newspaper, which inspired it, are not grounded.

The Prime Minister claims to have met all his tax obligations and to hold wealth that is fully compatible with and supported by his family’s work income.

In any case, and so no doubts remain, the Prime Minister will request an audit of his statement’s compliance from the Transparency Body.

As for the anonymous tips sent to the Bar Association and the Prosecution Office, the contents of which are unknown, it is felt they can be an opportunity to disclaim any doubts as the legal nature spread in the public sphere, so we will await the ongoing investigation and conclusions thereof.