The Minister of Justice defended this Friday that the Government’s proposal for a law that regulates access to metadata for criminal investigation purposes is “a safe path” and that it allows to end “a legal and operational impasse.”
In the debate marked by the PSD in parliament, Catarina Sarmento e Castro expressed her willingness to reach a “broad consensus”, emphasizing the “urgent nature” of the issue.
“The Government’s bill is the result of the joint work of the Ministry of Justice, the criminal police forces and the Public Ministry and is urgent. It is imperative, in the shortest possible time, that rules are defined that allow criminal investigation anchored in essential means of proof, with respect for the rights of citizens”, he said.
The minister has argued that the Government’s solution, which is based on a “paradigm shift”, is “a sure way to overcome the legal impasse and the operational impasse”.
It allows justice to be carried out and does not compromise the rights, freedoms and guarantees of citizens (…) That we can count on an expanded majority is what I want”, he said.
While PSD, PCP and Chega seek to respond to the Constitutional Court’s declaration of unconstitutionality by modifying the 2008 metadata conservation law, the Government opted for a new law, which regulates access to metadata related to Electronic Communications for research purposes criminal.
The Minister of Justice warned that “the moment of the crossroads is not exclusively Portuguese” and defended that “as long as the law of the European Union is not at a point of equilibrium that is sufficiently firm, it is inevitable that new solutions and paradigms will be sought”.
“This is a matter for Parliament, the Government has brought a proposal for a solution, intends to contribute to the solution and asks for a broad consensus in this Chamber,” said Catarina Sarmento e Castro.
Source: Observadora
