The President of the Republic said this Friday that he will participate in the PSD Summer University, which takes place from August 29 to September 4 in Castelo de Vide, responding, by video, to to 30 questions from 30 participants.
In statements to the Lusa agency, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa confirmed that, as in 2018 –which, “coincidentally, was the first year of the mandate of the then leader, Rui Rio”–, also “in this first year of the mandate of the new leader“, Luís Montenegro, was invited to participate in the Summer University of the PSD.
The President of the Republic said that he will be present, responding by video to 30 questions from 30 participants.
The head of state recalled that, in 2018, he was invited by the director of the PSD Summer University and former MEP, Carlos Coelho, to participate in the event, at that time also to answer some 30 questions, but in writing and not in video format.
“Since there is a newspaper in the Summer University, in which there is a guest every day, I would be the guest every day, answering 30 questions. That’s how it was: 30 long questions, which I also answered in a long way, ”he recalled.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stressed that, at the time, his participation had “naturally with the approval of the then leader of the party, who was in the first year of his mandate, Dr Rui Rio“.
“Now, again Carlos Coelho, according to the leader of the newly elected party, Dr. Luís Montenegro, has made me an identical invitation, with a small difference: there are 30 participants, 30 questions, but they are questions formulated orally, recorded on video”, he said.
When detailing the forms of their participation, the President of the Republic indicated that the participants will ask questions of “about half a minute”, with the head of state to answer in “about a minute”.
“So it is a different format, audiovisual, shorter, and the questions will come after the participants are at the University: that starts on the 29 [de agosto], it will probably arrive on the 29th or 30th, and I will reply to you by mail. In this case it is in the return of the video, ”she indicated.
Asked if he is in the habit of being present at the PSD Summer University when a new social democratic leader is elected, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa replied: “No, it is not a custom, there happened to be this invitation“.
“I went there when I was not President of the Republic, I went practically every year. Then, at the time of Dr. Rui Rio, I was invited to answer questions, I answered. And now, for Dr. Montenegro, he invited me to answer questions. That’s it, and I answer the questions that young people ask, ”he stressed.
Asked if he will be physically present at the event, the head of state replied: “Presence is like that, it’s the distanceit doesn’t go there properly.”
The 18th Summer University of the PSD will take place between August 29 and September 4 in Castelo de Vide, in the district of Portalegre, and will include the participation of former CDS leader Assunção Cristas, former PSD president Marques Mendes and of the socialist and current president of the Economic and Social Council (CES), Francisco Assis.
Source: Observadora
