Catarina goes out in Robles' defense and shoots against the press and PSD

Completely alongside Ricardo Robles – that was Catarina Martins, coordinator of the Left Bloc, in the first public statement this morning on the real estate life of her party advisor in Lisbon. Robles "did nothing wrong," said Catarina, before arriving at the Bloco youth camp, which takes place at Camping Castelo do Bode.

BE leader reported stacks for the press: "Yesterday [sexta-feira] I woke up with a newspaper cover that said the Block City Councilor [de Esquerda] had made millions of euros in a real estate transaction and was a lie Today I woke up with a newspaper cover that says the BE 's advisor has an apartment in the Saldanha, which apparently was a big novelty, and it' s a lie, that's the house where he lives, a rented house. "

This Friday, it was known, in a news from the" Economic Journal ", that in 2014, with his sister, Ricardo Robles (then MP Municipal in Lisbon) bought a building in Alfama for 347 thousand euros, which after being rehabilitated (with the works, there was a total investment of about one million euros) was put up for sale up to € 5.7 million in 2017 and was withdrawn from the market in April of this year. year.

Without saying so, Catarina Martins suggests that there is a plot against the Bloc. "These are two days when there are newspaper covers that tell lies about BE's counselor in the Lisbon House." For the bloc leader, there is no coincidence: "This is happening at the same time that Parliament has passed important legislation to protect tenants, and we expect, for example, the rapid promulgation of the right to preference of the property that allows the tenant can only buy his fraction when the owner wants to sell the whole business. "

The initiative, says the BE's coordinator," will be a big obstacle for the Companies under preparation, namely the Fidelidade who wants to sell "

" BE is not intimidated "

Catherine accused the newspapers of giving" false headlines yesterday, that d & # s; 39 others repeat today ". According to the BE leader, "the news is false, it is absurd" because "there was no added value, there was no profit". Catherine Martins spoke of the "smear campaign" and "infamy" by the media and opposition parties for referring to news and political commentary on the Robles affair.

The national coordinator of the BE said to perceive "They have decided to continue the BE" and must have "two certainties: the first is that what we have done is still very little and so we will have to do more to protect the right to housing in Portugal. "

Catarina also pointed out that Ricardo Robles maintains the same" legitimacy in defending the public policies that he has proposed and that he will continue to propose. "

Answer to the PSD

In partisan reactions to the real estate business of Ricardo Robles, the PSD was the party that pushed its critics further, with the Council of Social-Democrats in Lisbon demanding the resignation of the councilor of the BE and accusing him of "

In statements to reporters who were waiting for him before arriving at the Bloc youth camp, the Bloc leader responded to the challenge of the Social Democrats." Catarina Martins said declared q that the PSD "pursue" the Left Bloc and that, before that, it should "have consequences for the investigations it seeks", as in the case of Gold visas

. Gold visa and party financing issues were investigated through work-related cases and local authorities, instead decided to take the consequences of investigations into what is targeted, to pursue the Bloc. from the left.

"I think we are talking about hypocrisy and cynicism," said Catarina Martins.

The building was even for local housing

Meanwhile, this Saturday's newspapers are advancing with new information on the real estate situation of Ricardo Robles.

The "Public" says that when he was selling the Alfama building was intended for local accommodation, as it was the purpose (short-term rental) that was contained in the Announcement of the real estate agency. In fact, the text was full of "glamor" in promoting the property, "located in front of the Lisbon Cruise Terminal, next to the Fado Museum and the charming Largo do Chafariz de Dentro."

writes that Ricardo Robles has two other apartments in Lisbon (next to the Alfama building). One on Rua do Conde Redondo (which is for rent); and another near Saldanha. The property of this second was denied by the Bloc, according to the statements of Catarina Martins, because Robles is only the tenant of this house, where he currently resides