Francisco Queiroz, spoke after a meeting that brought together members of the Executive, led by the Minister of State for Social Affairs, Carolina Cerqueira, and members of the Seventh Committee on Culture, Religious Affairs, Media and Youth and Sports of the National Assembly.
According to the minister, the deputies were informed of the legal situation of the UCKG, a company under Angolan law, which has existed in Angola since 1992 and is subject to Angolan laws.
"At the moment when Angolan laws are being disrespected, in one way or another, the State has the duty to intervene to restore legality, order and public tranquility," said the minister.
The governor informed that at this moment two processes are under preparatory instruction, which resulted, one of them, from the denunciation of Angolan bishops of the church, "about practices that indicate crimes" and another process, of Brazilian bishops against Angolan priests, "that also indicate crimes".
"These processes are in progress, the SIC (Criminal Investigation Service) has intervened to investigate the cases, one of them is already in the PGR (Attorney General's Office) and the other will also be referred to the PGR, so that there are the legal procedures established for these matters," he stressed.
Francisco Queiroz stressed that the Government must comply with the law, comply with the procedural deadlines set for the investigation and trial of cases and maintain serenity during this waiting period.
"What also has to be done is not to confuse things. What is often noted is trying to hide the essential problem: internal problem, problem of management, a problem that opposes internal wings within the church and turn this into a political problem, which it is not," said the ruler.
The holder of the Justice and Human Rights portfolio reiterated that this is "an internal problem, which has generated a crisis, it is a problem that has legal implications and that is why the State cannot remain indifferent to this situation".
"The State must intervene to defend the law, to defend both private and public interests, which are under threat and to guarantee stability", he said.
According to Francisco Queiroz, at the meeting the MPs expressed "solidarity" with the efforts that the Executive has been making and also with the defence of sovereignty.
"Since the problem has also started to be raised in political and diplomatic terms, it has to do with sovereignty and the State is capable of defending that sovereignty", he said.
For the government, the minister continued, "this public, political-diplomatic intervention does not fit in any way with the problem that exists".
"Between Angola and Brazil there are long term relations, solid relations that will continue more and more. It is not such a problem that will upset relations, here what we have obtained from you is a wave of solidarity in this area, that Angola is acting well, the problem is not political, it is not diplomatic, there does not have to be intervention or interference from other levels in this matter", he indicated.
The conflict between Angolan bishops and pastors and Brazilians from the UCKG has been dragging on since November last year, but it got worse last month with the takeover of temples by the dissident group that has been exchanging accusations with the leadership of the UCKG.
The minister also mentioned that the deputies have been informed about the nature of the conflict that exists inside this religious confession, in the way this conflict is being managed by the managers of the UCKG themselves, at the leadership level and the effects that this situation has on the law of religious institutions, criminal law and other state laws.
