Portuguese minister resigns after driver's involvement in deadly car accident

LISBON - Eduardo Cabrita, Portugal's minister of internal administration, resigned on Friday after an accusation by the Public Prosecutor's Office about his driver's involvement in a deadly car accident.

Cabrita, after meeting with Prime Minister Antonio Costa, announced his decision of resignation at a press conference, saying that he regretted the "irreparable loss" of the fatal victim.

"I cannot allow this absolutely intolerable political use to be used in the current framework to penalize the government's action against the prime minister...I asked to resign from my duties as minister today," he said, referring to the upcoming general elections scheduled for Jan 30, 2022.

The minister's driver was accused of "neglected homicide" in an accident that killed a person during an official trip.

Cabrita has become the second minister to resign since the Costa-led minority government took office in late 2019. Former Finance Minister Mario Centeno resigned in June 2020.