Angolan government regrets ex-president's option to travel in commercial flight
“The government regrets deeply such attitude, whose consequences will not be of its responsibility”, reads the press note from the President’s Civil Office.
According to the press note, the ex-president of Angola was due to leave Luanda for Lisbon early this Tuesday in a commercial flight by the Portuguese airline (TAP) in transit for Spain, where the former head of State will undergo routine medical check-up.
On the pres note, the President’s Civil Office classifies as “surprising” the decision of the ex-president to travel in a foreign commercial airliner, to the detriment of the country’s airline TAAG.
This option, adds the note, goes against the protocol and logistics procedures underwent by the Angolan State during the last few weeks, which had put available an airplane compatible to the status of the ex-president.
The note explains that as soon as the government learnt about the decision of the ex-president to reject to use an airplane it had put at his disposal, all the channels for dialogue had been triggered to dissuade him from that decision and prevail the required norms and protocol procedures.
However, such efforts did not sort out the issue, nor even after the Head of State, João Lourenço, visited on Monday the former president and spoke to him at his private residence.
The note explains that in respect to the rigour and norms that define the rights and benefits of the former presidents, the government secured all the logistical and financial aspects related to the medical assistance that José Eduardo dos Santos is to undergo in Spain.
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