Adalberto da Costa Júnior, who this Friday will take the place of deputy elected by the largest opposition party, told journalists upon arrival at the National Assembly that he hopes that this legislature will meet the wishes of Angolans.
"What we hope is that whoever it is - MPLA, UNITA or other parties - will have the courage to return sovereignty to whoever has it, the people, who left a very clear message about their will", said the political leader.
UNITA was defeated in the August 24 general elections, but won the largest number of seats ever, electing 90 deputies, while the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) reduced the number of seats from 150 to 124.
"The Angolans demonstrated in these elections that they wanted to change the regime, that they want reforms, that development can only be done with freedom and with independent justice, with the municipalities and local power", commented the president of UNITA, hoping "an Angola less supporter of more integration and more development".
He insisted, on the other hand, that UNITA participated in elections "which were not correct, were not transparent" which, he claimed, was confirmed by "international observers who were present here for the first time, including Africans who [...] did not consider the elections to be free, fair and transparent".
"Since the pre-campaign period, until now, we have always talked about deviation from the laws, disrespect for the Constitution, we never talked about fraud, we talked about evidence. Unfortunately, the Angolan courts are fleeing justice and the law", said Adalberto da Costa Júnior.
"It is important that Angolan journalists know this, that the reports of observers understood that these elections were marked by violations of the law, to that extent we cannot reward deviation from the law", added the leader of the "Galo Negro" party.
He also justified that the inauguration of UNITA deputies - which was not consensual in the party and among its civil society supporters - is due to the fact that they have the responsibility to "bring our contribution to bring Angola to full democracy and the State of democratic law".
As for UNITA's priorities in this legislature is to respond to the challenges of reforms, the leader was emphatic: "we need to review the Constitution, we need the direct election of the President of the Republic and not to delay local power".
