The Minister of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho, announced that he rejects the news released by Expresso on Friday that he was involved in the ‘Perfect Storm’ operation of Paulo Branco, former financial officer of the Directorate- General for National Resources. Defense (DGRDN), one of those accused of corruption and money laundering.
“I strongly and unequivocally reject the suggestion made in the headline of the Expresso newspaper, based on information that is not very credible, as can be seen from reading the article in question,” the minister said in a statement to newsrooms.
The weekly writes that Paulo Branco accused João Cravinho, then Minister of Defense, “in the case of the fabricated lightning consultancy to pay 50,000 euros to Marco Capitão Ferreira”, who was named a defendant, as part of the “Perfect Storm” operation. for corruption and economic participation in business. Captain Ferreira would resign from his position as Minister of Defense at the beginning of July.
Paulo Branco stated that João Gomes Cravinho had agreed to enter into a consultancy contract with Captain Ferreira to compensate him and ‘catch up on the bills’ for the work carried out in a ‘phantom committee’ working in space. from his office,” said Expresso.
The former financial director of the Directorate General for National Defense Assets stated to the prosecutor of the Department of Investigation and Criminal Justice (DIAP) in Lisbon ‘that Marco Capitão Ferreira ‘participated in what they in the ministry called ‘Grupo’. Ninja,” or “Black Ops,” to clandestinely conduct an investigation for the “overhaul of the State of Defense business sector,” the newspaper said.
In the note from the Information and Press Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cravinho shared and reconfirmed “with total transparency the answers sent to the aforementioned weekly magazine.”
In this way, the Minister shares two excerpts from his intervention at the National Defense Commission of the Assembly of the Republic last July, “since the statements made in Parliament on the same issue respond objectively to the questions now being asked again” .
“For this reason, on January 29, I decided to create a negotiating team composed of elements that will be appointed by the DGRDN (General Directorate of National Defense Resources), the Air Force and DEFLOC itself until its extinction. propose to the authority the conditions regarding the proposed maintenance contract for the EH-101 aircraft,” the minister told the deputies.
“I further determined that the DGRDN would coordinate this team, without prejudice to the powers of DEFLOC, and that this DG would appoint a coordinator of the negotiating team who would ensure the continuity of the negotiation process until its conclusion. would guarantee. Commander Pereira Mendes to lead the team, and my office received an indication that the DGRDN planned to hire Professor Marco Capitão Ferreira to provide legal advice. Already anticipating any questions in this regard, I add that at no time was there any indication of my role in this regard, especially since it was not my job to interfere in the internal functioning of the DGRDN,” said Cravinho .
In the same extract, the Minister guarantees: “The decision to employ was taken solely and exclusively by DGRDN and its General Manager, as well as the terms of the contract, regardless of duration or value, are the sole responsibility of the General Manager and Professor Marco Captain Ferreira. I would also like to add that I was not aware of the terms of the agreed contract.”
In the second quote, shared in the statement, you can read: “I did not know Professor Marco Capitão Ferreira before he assumed the duties of MDN. When I took office, I quickly realized that he was one of the few people with in-depth knowledge in this highly specialized area. His appointment as President of IDD was solely due to his academic and professional trajectory, with a close connection with the defense industry, in the exercise of responsible positions”.
The minister also pointed to the clarification of July 28, “which emphasizes that the unpaid study entitled ‘National Defense Economy – vectors of action and role of the state’ and the technical consultancy work for the negotiation of a new contract for the maintenance of EH-101 helicopters, the contours of which were defined and operationalized by DGRDN, represent two different processes, and there were no directives from João Gomes Cravinho that the consultancy contract drawn up by DGRDN would serve as compensation for the work carried out within the framework of the respective study restructuring. of the sector’s industries”.
In the same note, the official mentioned that it is necessary to “distinguish two issues”: “The first concerns advice on the restructuring of the defense industry, namely the study to which Professor Marco Capitão Ferreira contributed with his knowledge in the field of national defense. which was not reimbursed; and the second, the consultancy contract provided by Professor Marco Capitão Ferreira to the Directorate General of National Defense Resources (DGRDN), which was reimbursed.”
“The study entitled ‘National Defense Economy – Vectors of Action and Role of the State’, regarding the restructuring of industries in the sector, was prepared by a group of people with different perspectives and experiences in this field, without any of the members of that team will be reimbursed, as stated in the document itself,” the minister assured.
“The contract signed between DGRDN and Professor Marco Capitão Ferreira was a paid work, under conditions determined exclusively by the two contracting parties, and served to provide technical assistance in the negotiations of a new contract for the maintenance of the EH-101 helicopters, the contours of which were operationalized by the DGRDN, as this fell within the decision-making sphere and powers of this General Directorate,” concluded the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Source: DN
