A company co-owned by the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Pedro Nuno Santos, and his father (Tecmacal), benefited from a public contract by direct agreement, which constitutes a incompatibility in accordance with the law that establishes the regime for the exercise of the functions of the holders of political positions and high public positions. The sanction provided for in the law for cases in which the holder of a political office owns more than 10% of a company together with an “ascendant” and celebrates a public contract is the resignation.
The ministry of Pedro Nuno Santos, in response to the Observer, considers that there is no incompatibility, hiding behind an opinion from the Attorney General’s Office. But this opinion was made in relation to the previous law on incompatibilities and impediments (of 1993). The majority: distinguishes cases where companies are the office holders and those where companies are owned solely by family members. The opinion in question not directed the situation in this case, in which both the incumbent and the family member have shares: Pedro Nuno Santos only owns 1% of the company, but, together with his father —who owns 44%— and others relatives, far exceeds the 10% indicated in the law.
A little over three months ago, on June 27, 2022, the Vocational Training Center for the Footwear Industry – a reclassified public entity with headquarters in São João da Madeira, the municipality of origin of Pedro Nuno Santos and where the family is from — made a direct agreement with Tecmacal for an amount of 19,110.00 euros for the purchase of equipment in the leather goods sector.
This article is exclusive to our subscribers: subscribe now and benefit from unlimited reading and other benefits. If you are already a subscriber, log in here. If you think this message is an error, please contact our customer service.
Source: Observadora
