Adalberto Costa Júnior, who was speaking to journalists this Friday at the end of the audience granted by the President of the Republic, said that the meeting, "which all Angolans and their party would like to see take place for some time, was positive".
"It is positive when institutions dialogue, particularly at a time when we have a pre-electoral campaign with all the inherent challenges, something that has to be understood as regular and normal in political-institutional life, but which in our case unfortunately has not yet ", said the president of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).
"When we talk about a proposed alternation, it must be seen as normal in a democracy. In this case, as it never happened, alternation is still an element that brings apprehensions and the responsibilities of those who lead are increased in the sense of transmitting normality in these issues ", he stressed.
The UNITA leader, who was sworn in on Thursday by João Lourenço as a member of the Council of the Republic, where he returns after being removed from the body following the annulment of the party's XIII Congress, held in 2019, said that he approached with "directness of essential and relevant issues" between the country and the President.
The institutional dialogue, "the need for this dialogue to be permanent, the unofficial voter registration, extended for another week and the need for international observers, especially from the European Union and North Americans", with a view to the general elections next August, were some of the points raised at the hearing.
Regarding the unofficial voter registration, which officially ended on Thursday and was extended for another week, due to the flooding at the Single Public Service Desks (BUAP), Adalberto defended a greater extension of the deadline.
"Naturally, we are concerned with respecting the dates, respecting the commitments for holding the elections, but if the calendars allow it, if there is still a large number of unregistered voters, a little more needs to be done", he maintained.
"It is important that the guardianship during these days takes the registration to places where it has not yet started, namely in some foreign countries such as the United States of America and Switzerland. Registration is mandatory and a little more needs to be done", he noted.
For Adalberto Costa Júnior, plurality and contradiction "disappeared" in the media, especially public ones, a topic that was also addressed in the meeting with João Lourenço.
The leader of the largest opposition party says he has not had "access to the public press".
"Which does not look good in a country like ours, at a time when it is said that we are taking steps towards an electoral campaign and, therefore, we all have to do more", he stressed.
"The public view and perception of non-plurality in communication is widespread, this is not a reading by the president of UNITA, it is obvious that it exists, because there is an effective absence of balanced coverage and equal treatment", he maintained.
The current socio-political tension in the country, with reports of violence and "risks of an electoral process that should not occur in an environment of violence, at any level", was one of the points addressed.
"And therefore, we have increased responsibilities and on our part there is no substantive limitation of what is necessary to do", stressed the leader of the "little brothers".
The approach to Angola's challenges "with specific points of defense, but with a desire to reach a common point and the improvement of the political environment" constituted the axes of the meeting.
Asked by Lusa about the concerns he publicly raises about alleged electoral fraud "already underway", Adalberto Costa Júnior said "he is not in the habit of raising aspects related to fraud, saying, however, that there are "some indicators".
"That can help those who can rightly correct circumstances that we share, for the rest I have worked hard to help and contribute so that we can have elections, in an improved environment, and that are truly transparent" he pointed out.
"Therefore, I am convinced that we are taking positive steps towards providing the country with a better environment and with regard to UNITA this has always been our purpose, the dialogue is good to be permanent", he reiterated.
The deputy to the National Assembly also assured that UNITA will participate in the official ceremonies to celebrate the 20th anniversary of peace and reconciliation in Angola, which will take place on 4 April.
"Peace is everyone's feast and the environment of coexistence should not be exclusive to specific dates, it should be permanent, the condition of watering this plant should be a permanent practice too", he defended.
Adalberto Costa Júnior was accompanied by two vice-presidents of his party, namely Arlete Chimbinda and Sebastião Dembo, in this audience that took place at the Presidential Palace, in Cidade Alta, in Luanda.
