PSD condemns PS lead to broadcast sessions of Olhão’s Municipal Assembly
The Political Committee of the Olhão PSD, having attended the last session of the Municipal Assembly on 24 May 2022, wishes to make the following public:
Item 6 of the Agenda included for appraisal and deliberation the Proposed Amendment to the Regulations of the Municipal Assembly of Olhão, prepared and presented by the Working Group made up of appointed members from the political parties represented in this body.
“The live broadcasting of the sessions will be subject to specific regulations to be approved by the Municipal Assembly”, was stated in Article 39, paragraph 3, of the Constitution.
At the time of the deliberation, the PS majority of the Olhão Municipal Assembly decided to vote against live broadcasting of the sessions, denying Olhanenses the right to be able to watch the functioning of this supervisory body of the Municipality, a possibility that would promote civic participation and proximity between elected representatives and voters.
In response to the leader of the PSD bench, who regretted the decision, arguing that “he who has no duty has no fear”, the president of the Municipal Assembly, in defence of the Socialist bench, expressed his personal opinion, saying that the broadcasting of the sessions “is unacceptable as a matter of discrediting the body” that he presides over, and even claiming that he is not willing to “be flouted on social networks”, nor by the “Mem de Olhão”.
Judging by this reaction, we conclude that the member elected by the socialist party is not afraid of political scrutiny by the opposition parties, but rather of the satire of the “Mem de Olhão”, a humorist group that helps to cheer up Olhanenses in the face of the dark days that democracy has experienced in Olhão in the last 46 years.
Recalling that in politics not everything can be worthwhile, we consider this lead to block transparency, and we feel it is our duty to call on the Socialist Party to remain true to the values of democracy and reconsider its position on this matter.
Olhão, 26 May 2022