Science, Technology and Higher Education Minister Elvira Fortunato said there was nothing “ethically objectionable” in the potential conflict of interest issue reported Thursday that she denies.
At issue was the minister’s participation in a company and the award of a scholarship to an institution to which her husband belongs.
The ministry released a statement on the matter this Friday, but Elvira Fortunato, who spoke to journalists after participating in the closing session of the National Assembly of Ciência Viva na Escola Clubs, in the Pavilhão do Conhecimento, in Lisbon, again clarified the two questions , stating that what has been revealed are facts that “do not correspond to the truth”.
About the company NTPE, which had a quota increase on December 27 last year, which was later published, he confirmed that he was no longer part of it since March 18, when he transferred the quota to her husband, stating that this law in the trade register page, not required to be on any other consulted by journalists.
Elvira Fortunato was sworn in as minister on March 30.
With regard to the non-profit collaborative laboratory AlmaScience, dedicated to scientific research, and funds allocated by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), the Minister began by noting that there has been, and has never been, any interference by the Ministry in the FCT processes.
“The information circulating is not entirely true”she said, explaining that the funding of almost 56 thousand euros is related to a project in which her husband, also a professor and researcher, participated as a partner, through the Universidade Nova de Lisboa.
“The project is coordinated by another institution, UNINOVA, and AlmaScience, a collaborative laboratory, is a partner in this project. My husband is part of a team that is entering into a consortium for this project. Projects are in consortium”he explained, adding that the University of Minho is also part of the project, about batteries made from sustainable materials.
When asked whether doubts about the legality could be expressed, the minister assured not. “They can’t get up, that’s his profession. Unless he was now unemployed”. And added: “Neither now nor ever. There is no interference from the ministry in the decisions of the FCT”in the projects and in what he does, he emphasized.
The minister called for rigor in the journalistic work, also clarified that it concerns national funds and said that the image of the government has not been tweaked, on the contrary, it is stronger, explaining that she communicated both situations to the prime minister and that she was only part of the government when they were already established.
“I made the inauguration at the right time, but these acts will only appear on these ‘sites’ with later dates”Elvira Fortunato said, adding, in a question from journalists, that she did not ask the attorney general for an opinion because she believes she did the “absolutely right thing”.
Source: DN
