The Minister of Defense, Helena Carreiras, revealed this Tuesday that she had requested an audit of the advisory services of the Directorate General of National Defense Resources, following the cases involving the former governor, Capitão Ferreira, accused of the Perfect Storm operation.
“From the moment there is a new circumstance, I have acted in accordance with what would be required in a circumstance where there is noise, suspicions, which must be reassured. Nacional to the advisers of the Directorate General of National Defense Resources “, explains Helena Carreiras while participating in CNN Portugal’s ‘Town Hall’ programme.
Helena Carreiras will be heard in the Assembly of the Republic, together with the former responsible minister, João Gomes Cravinho, about “the facts made public” involving Marco Capitão Ferreira.
Captain Ferreira resigned as Secretary of State for Defense last week and was charged on the same day as part of the ‘Perfect Storm’ operation, suspected of crimes of corruption and economic participation in business.
Based on documents from the Ministry of Defense, Expresso reports today that Marco Capitão Ferreira has started advising Defense before signing the contract worth 61 thousand euros.
The consultancy contract signed between the Secretary of State and the Directorate General of National Defense Resources (DGRDN), led at the time by Alberto Coelho – one of those involved in the “Perfect Storm” judicial operation and a name associated with cost slippage in reclassification of the former Belém Military Hospital, was signed on March 25, 2019.
With a validity of 60 days and worth 50,000 euros excluding VAT, the consultancy contract was signed on March 25, 2019, according to the former Secretary of State, and the services were completed four days later, on March 29 this year.
Asked on CNN Portugal if she had any suspicions about this case, Helena Carreiras insisted that this is not her job and that “the entities must investigate, verify and investigate”.
“Of course I want to be sure [com as auditorias pedidas] that this noise and these presumptions that may exist in the public space get the response they should have,” he stressed.
The defense minister also stressed that she was asking for “all these inspection actions, internally and externally” to “defend the credibility of the institutions and the prestige of the government”.
Helena Carreiras announced last week that she had asked the Court of Auditors to conduct a financial audit of idD Portugal Defence, after Marco Capitão Ferreira was named a defendant.
The president of the republic had previously expressed support for conducting an audit of the financial management of the defense industries in the name of transparency.
When questioned on CNN Portugal about the delay in requesting the audits, Helena Carreiras said she acted “when there were indications that circumstances warranted it”, following Capitao Ferreira’s resignation.
“It is to this extent that we act, not as a result of pressure or requests, but as a function of what are indications that make us think there is a need to provide clarification, clarification and this inspection is certainly an important part of this movement towards more transparency,” he assured.
Also present on CNN Portugal’s program, João Gomes Cravinho, currently foreign minister, denied that Captain Ferreira owes him an explanation.
“His conduct, whether as an adviser or as president of the IdD appointed by me, does not represent any kind of doubt,” he stressed, adding that about his actions as secretary of state “he will now give the explanation to those who have the right” .
Gomes Cravinho said he will give the necessary explanations in parliament on Friday.
Source: DN
