"This is a noble gesture that I respect, but that in good conscience I cannot accept", declared António Costa to journalists, at the official residence of São Bento, in Lisbon, after having met with the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, at the Palace of Belém.

António Costa considered that João Galamba is not "personally attributable to any failure" and said that keeping him as minister is a decision for which he "is individually responsible" as prime minister, probably taken against the opinion of the majority of the Portuguese and certainly against the commentators.

"It is not always easy to make decisions. It would surely be much easier to follow the unanimous opinion of commentators, it would surely be easier to accept this resignation, it would surely be easier to listen to what the majority of political agents have said. But between ease and my conscience, I'm sorry to disappoint those I'm going to disappoint, but I give priority to my conscience", he justified.

The prime minister was convinced that, "just as, to the surprise of many", João Galamba "has proved to be an excellent Secretary of State for Energy, time will also allow him to reveal an excellent Minister for Infrastructure".

"If this is not the case, the responsibility, naturally, is mine, because it is up to me to propose the appointment and dismissal of members of the Government, and for their acts and omissions I am the one who responds", he said.