PSD does not request a hearing from the Minister of National Defense (MDN) on the Frontex plane requested by the GNR to patrol the Azores sea border. The coordinator of the Social Democratic Defense, Jorge Paulo Oliveiraunderlines that “the statements of Mrs. Minister did not respond to relevant questions and it must be answered.”
As DN reported, the decision of the GNR surprised the chiefs of staff of the navy, Admiral Gouveia e Meloand Air Force (FAP), General Cartaxo Alvesowhose official spokespersons denied being informed of the request and articulated with the structures.
Questioned by journalists, on the sidelines of another ceremony on Wednesday, sayings of Helena CarreiraThe documents initially reproduced stated that he defended the GNR and stated that it had not exceeded its powers and that the mission had been planned by several institutions.
This position contradicted the Navy and the FAP, which had denied coordination. Yesterday afternoon, Thursday, Lusa finally corrected the newsstating that, after all, the minister “did not say that the ongoing Frontex mission in the Azores was planned between the Air Force and the GNR, but only that it was complementary to the missions that were and will be planned between their institutions”, confirming the position officially put forward by official sources when questioned by the DN.
corrected the misconceptionwhich also indicated a lack of coordination between the guardianship itself and the Ramos, the PSD keepsstill, the application which he had offered to hear the ruler in parliament.
“Despite the clarifications, the necessary questions are still far from being answered: among the various institutions that the minister claims to have planned the mission were the Navy and the Air Force? Why has the GNR not requested support from the Navy and the FAP? What justifies this intervention in the period of October and November specifically? If the mission is to protect the external border, which is 200 miles away, why the GNR whose jurisdiction is only up to 12 miles?” are some of the questions the PSD asks. should do, according to Jorge Paulo Oliveira.
Have similar questions: He’s comingbut they are aimed at Minister of Internal Affairs (MAI), José Luís Carneiro, who also asks whether “this request to Frontex de status of the Portuguese state autonomously and sovereignly control the areas under its jurisdiction?”.
O Admiral Melo Gomes he was also unconvinced by Helena Carreiras’ explanation, nor was the subsequent correction sufficient. “The essential issue is sovereignty. Borders are first and foremost our sovereign responsibility. The principle of subsidiarity is what applies to Frontex. The GNR did not coordinate with the Air Force or the Navy, which was a fait accompli.”, asking “ where is the Secretary General of the Internal Security System (SSI) and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (CEMGFA), who have coordinating powers?”
the chairman of Observatory for Security, Organized Crime and Terrorism (OSCOT) sees no “legal problem” in the GNR initiative, “insofar as it falls within the remit of this police body for the surveillance of criminal activities that it is responsible for the development of the maritime territory, not dealing with an “invasion of sovereignty” by the European Union because Frontex does not replace the states.
O constitutionalist Jorge Bacelar Gouveia sees, “that yes, a problem, if this measure should be used due to lack of resources or the availability of air resources, being sure that the Air Force, even without being a police unit, can and should act in cooperation with the GNR in what it has to do”.
Neither the MAI offices nor the MDN have responded to the DN’s questions, such as the offices of the Secretary General of the SSI, Paulo Vizeu Pinheiro and CEMGFA, Admiral Silva Ribeiroresponsible for coordination between the police and the armed forces
about the real mission reasons, the information the DN collects from police and military sources is contradictory. There are those who guarantee that the request was intended to “make this available” ability to guard the external border of the European Union”, underlining this source from the GNR that “this is just one of the services that Frontex makes available to the Member States”.
However, it must also be ensured that this Frontex aircraft is part of the process of: Schengen evaluation coordinated by the SSI, planned for November and which will verify the security capacity of the maritime borders of that autonomous region.
“With this mission,” said another source, “it is intended to map the vulnerabilities at the external border in the Azores to 12 miles, which arise from the fact that this region is not equipped with the radars of the Integrated Coastal Surveillance and Control System, the SIVICC of the GNR”.
The DN also questioned the SSI about this indication, but received no response.
This latest version also reached the chairman of the Internal Security Observatory and Hugo Costeira considers it “an excellent example of international cooperation in the spirit of Frontex”.
According to him, “this is a very useful work that will allow to assess vulnerabilities up to 12 miles, resulting from the non-existence of this region of the SIVICC”.
Hugo Costeira is also skeptical about the ignorance of the FAP and the Navy. “From what I know of the airworthiness management structures, I find it very strange that the GNR can organize this whole operation on its own without the help of anyone, namely the National Civil Aviation Authority and FAP, the National Air Authority”. If there has been a malfunction, it is very serious,” he emphasizes.
Source: DN
