The party leader of the PS proposed to the defense minister on Friday that a “general audit” of public procurement in the sector be carried out and this Saturday the minister replied that this should be done more than six months ago, in December 2022 .
Responding to questions from Lusa regarding Eurico Brilhante Dias’s request, the ministry replied: “Aware of the importance this area assumes, the Minister of National Defense has sent a message to the Inspectorate General for National Defense (IGDN), on December 22, 2022, (…) establishing the reinforcement of inspection actions for services and agencies integrated in the direct and indirect management of the Ministry of National Defense.”
These “inspective actions” aim to “implement the anti-corruption measures provided for in the general anti-corruption regime”, and the order also stipulates “the promotion of actions to raise awareness and reduce the risks of financial responsibility and to prevent corruption and related crimes”.
This is “work that is being carried out on a permanent basis by the competent authorities, namely the IGDN”, with “intended” a “cutting action across all departments and bodies of the Ministry of National Defense, including the conduct of management audits of risks”, he emphasizes . This plan includes “inspectorate actions to oversee the implementation of the Military Programming Act and the Military Infrastructure Act, with compliance audits, oversight of corrective actions implemented and to ensure compliance with the approved program.”
This Saturday, at the entrance to the informal meeting of the Council of Ministers in Sintra (see photo caption above), the Prime Minister downplayed the case of the resignation, Friday, of the Secretary of State for Defense, Marco Capitão Ferreira, in the face of suspicions of corruption in the ” Perfect Storm” case (a criminal investigation into defense procurement).
“We are going to focus today on what is important to the life of the Portuguese, and without wanting to downplay what is of great concern to commentators and the political space, what I think people are concerned about are entirely different issues.”
António Costa said he hoped to “see justice work” but preferred to point out that the concerns of ordinary citizens and the concerns of commentators with this case in government are “very different”. “Today we are going to focus on what is important to the life of the Portuguese, and without wanting to diminish what is of great concern to commentators and the political space, what I think is of very different concern to people”.
The CEO emphasized that he walks on the street and mostly talks to the Portuguese, who express their concerns “which have little to do with these matters”, listing topics such as the fight against inflation, the improvement of incomes, the challenges in the SNS and the “massive transformation of the Portuguese economy”. “That’s what I think is the fundamental concern that we should focus on because it’s the government’s job to govern with people in mind.”
Source: DN
