During his address, which focussed on an assessment of the results achieved in the economic, financial and social spheres in the first two years of legislature and the main structural reforms to be made, the Prime Minister also said he would be introducing his new secretaries of state on Thursday.
The reshuffle comes following the resignations of three secretaries of state - for internationalisation, for fiscal affairs, and for industry - who have been named as persons of interest by prosecutors in a criminal investigation into trips they made last summer to games in football’s European championships that were paid for by privatised energy company Galp.
António Costa also created a new post responsible for housing.
During the debate, topics such as the Pedrógão Grande fire and the arson theft from Tancos Military base were discussed.
António Costa rejected opposition calls to dismiss two of his government ministers, for international administration and national defence, telling parliament that “obviously” he would not do so.
“Obviously I shan’t dismiss any minister, obviously I shan’t dismiss the minister of internal administration, obviously I shan’t dismiss the minister of national defence,” Costa said in answer to the call, from People’s Party leader, Assunção Cristas. “Let me tell you another thing... : everything that any one of my ministers do will always be my responsibility.”
Cristas had ended her first contribution to the day’s state-of-the-nation debate by asking the prime minister to say “to my face” whether he would sack the two ministers.