Parliamentary staff have delivered a formal complaint to the secretary-general of parliament asking for urgent measures to ‘reign CHEGA MPs in’ from intimidating behaviour towards them.
The syndicate of parliamentary workers claims the “lack of control” exercised by CHEGA is “profoundly affecting the dignity, self confidence, mental health and physical integrity of staff, causing enormous discomfort and provoking extreme anxiety.”
Giving examples, the syndicate describes accusations by CHEGA MPs that staff are ‘altering texts on parliamentary debates’ (to remove from public record snide remarks directed at CHEGA).
The complaint highlights a situation that took place in October in which CHEGA MPs accused parliamentary services of ‘cutting their time for speaking’. The only person responsible for ‘cutting time’ (or rather muting microphones) is the Speaker – but still CHEGA insisted it was the fault of staff – publicly proclaiming that “the employees of the Assembly of the Republic must respect the representativeness of the Assembly of the Republic (…) and are not here for themselves, they are here because they are paid by Portuguese taxpayers”.
This and other interventions have left parliamentary staff completely frazzled. They claim that CHEGA is putting “the integrity and good name of workers at stake, raising doubts about their honesty, character and professionalism”. Such behaviour is “not permitted”, says the complaint, which is clearly hoping that parliament’s secretary-general (Anabela Cabral Ferreira) will now act and help protect them.
Source: Expresso/ ZAP
