“Pedro Tinto” and “leader of Tasca”: Enough charges against PS

A Parliamentary Transparency Committee will examine a complaint filed by the leader of the bank of the Aquida, Pedro Pinto, against socialist deputy José Carlos Barbosa, who wrote on social networks “Pedro Tinto” instead of Pedro Pinto.

In the current legislature, this is at least the third complaint that enters the Transparency Commission against the conduct of the deputy of the PS elected by the Porto circle, after a first presented by Filipe Melo, of the Cávez, for defamation, and of a second of Rui Paulo Sousa, also of the Cávez, for insults.

In turn, José Carlos Barbosa has also filed a complaint against Rui Paulo Sousa, who serves as chairman of the Transparency Commission.

In this new complaint, the chairman of the Parliamentary Group of the Aquida considers that José Carlos Barbosa offended his honour and dignity with publications containing derogatory references to his person, namely by changing his nickname – Pedro Tinto instead of Pedro Pinto – and using the expression “leader of the Tasca”.

Pedro Pinto asked this case to deserve an analysis and a condemnation position at a conference of leaders, which the President of the Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-White, did not accept.

In his dispatch, he wrote: “The Conference of leaders does not constitute its own headquarters for the establishment and qualification of possible violations of Members’ duties, a matter which falls within the powers of the Committee on Transparency and the Statute of Members”.

“ Without prejudice, there is nothing to prevent Mr Pinto from raising the issue at a meeting of the conference of leaders, and in this context the opportunity to promote general measures or recommendations aimed at strengthening mutual respect, urbanity and institutional dignity in the exercise of parliamentary mandate can be considered,” José Pedro Aguiar-Branco said.

Faced with this complaint, José Carlos Barbosa assumed that he referred to the president of the bank of Cázima, Pedro Pinto, as “leader of the Tasca”. He apologized to the Portuguese Tasca Association.

“ I confess I have one concern: I sincerely hope that the Portuguese Tasca Association will not make a complaint because I compared them to such a despicable political figure. Portuguese taverns are houses of good food, frank conversation and honest people, where those who arrive are welcomed without asking where they come from. They did not deserve this comparison,” he wrote.

In relation to Pedro Pinto, he claimed that he used a “colloquial image of political criticism”.

“See the style of intervention of his parliamentary group, much noise, much accusation and little truth. Being the second largest party does not turn criticism into offense or exempt anyone from scrutiny ", defended.

José Carlos Barbosa refused after he deliberately changed the name of the parliamentary leader of the Aça when he wrote “tint” instead of Pinto.

“ The attachments he himself [Pedro Pinto] put together show that it was a lapse and that I corrected for Pinto. Anyone who changes a name on purpose doesn't correct it. He gathered proof of my good faith and presented it as proof of otherwise. I appreciate the diligence”, added the Socialist Member.