Pressure on Luís Neves worsens with PJ audit and process at the Court of Auditors

 

Pressure on Luís Neves worsens with PJ audit and process at the Court of Auditors

Political pressure on the current Minister of Internal Affairs, Luís Neves, has intensified significantly after the opening of a case in  the Court of Auditors and the order for a global audit of the Judiciary Police (PJ).

The Process at the Court of Auditors

• Public Prosecutor's Office's indictment: The Public Prosecutor's Office requested the trial of Luís Neves and the former deputy national director, Luísa Proença, for alleged financial infractions in the management of the PJ in 2023.
• Origin of the case: The irregularities involve travel expenses for agents in urgent international operations to combat organized crime.
• Refusal of fine: The government official refused to pay the fine initially imposed by the Court of Auditors, opting to contest the charges in court.
• Neves' defense: The minister claims to be "absolutely calm" and assures that he was the one who demanded the judicial examination of the case.

Audit by the Minister of Justice

• In-depth oversight: The Minister of Justice ordered a management audit of the PJ and a full internal evaluation of Luís Neves' leadership period.
• Political reaction: Luís Neves publicly stated that the minister "ordered well" by moving forward with the inspection of the institution's accounts.

Failures in the Entity for Transparency

• Lack of declarations: It was revealed that Luís Neves did not submit the mandatory declarations of assets and income during his eight years at the head of the PJ.
• Justification given: The minister claims to have never been notified to that effect.
• Version of the instances: The Constitutional Court and the Entity for Transparency clarified that the PJ legally failed to communicate the beginning of the mandates of its former director.