PAN proposed the creation of a parliamentary commission to investigate “the process of change of ownership of Global Media Group involving the World Opportunity Fund” and to evaluate the group’s “management practices and actions.”
According to an official source in the party, the proposal was submitted to the Assembly of the Republic this Wednesday.
In this proposal published by PAN, the party’s only MP demands “the immediate and mandatory creation of a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the process of change of ownership of the Global Media Group with the participation of the World Opportunity Fund, Lda., which should act for a period shorter than it allows to achieve its goals, and does not exceed 120 days.”
Regarding the subject of this investigation, Ines de Souza Real wants Parliament to investigate and evaluate “the management practices and actions of the Global Media Group and those responsible, including the sale of real estate assets and the appointment of the corresponding product in the period preceding the change of ownership, to the extent that they could lead to changes in assets that justify the current situation of instability in which the group finds itself.”
The PAN spokesman also intends for the Assembly of the Republic to also evaluate “the process of change of ownership of the Global Media Group involving the World Opportunity Fund, Lda., as well as the management methods and actions of the group that replaced it.” and its compliance with the current legal framework.”
The purpose of this investigation is also to “identify the owners of World Opportunity Fund, Lda., in July 2023 and currently, and assess their suitability in light of the current legal framework”, as well as “assess the effectiveness of the Regulatory Authority”. Social Communications Organization [ERC]”.
The PAN proposal also aims to “assess the unfinished process of the sale to the state of the shares of Global Media Group and Páginas Civilizados in Luz”, as well as the “impact on the current situation of instability” experienced by the group that owns social media networks such as JN, DN, TSF or O Jogo.
In the text, the single MP believes that some actions and management practices “raise many doubts about compliance with the current legal framework” and points out that “several complaints have been brought to the attention of the public, which have increased suspicions of opacity regarding the World Opportunity Fund.” Lda., and which raised doubts about the legality of its entry into the share capital of Global Media Group.”
PAN states that “numerous risks to information pluralism, the fundamental right to freedom of information and freedom of the press have been identified that are important to prevent now or in the future.”
In addition to the PAN, BE has also put forward a proposal for a parliamentary inquiry into “the actions of the social communications regulator as part of the Global Media Group change of ownership process involving the World Opportunity Fund.” LDA (WOF), including actions of group management, present or past, which are relevant to the current situation of instability faced by GMG and to the results of the so-called “LUSA business”.
Neither PAN nor BE have enough MPs to create a mandatory commission of inquiry requiring a fifth of the current MPs, i.e. 46.