The National Anti-Corruption Mechanism (MENAC) has received only 17 reports of corruption in 2023 and is still awaiting the operationalization of an online reporting channel, the organization said this Saturday on International Anti-Corruption Day.
According to information provided to Lusa by the MENAC agency, 17 of the complaints received to date have been received by email and post, with the agency established as part of the national anti-corruption strategy ensuring that it has “already developed an external reporting channel” for the work . on its official website.
“Its implementation depends only on compliance with the data protection policy requirements that are provided, and its effect is assessed in a very short term,” he said, two years after the adoption of the decree-law that established MENAC, as well as the General Regime Prevention of Corruption (RGPC) – and six months after receiving a diploma confirming its final installation.
Although the Council for the Prevention of Corruption, which operated jointly with the Court of Auditors between 2008 and 2022, did not have the power to impose sanctions for violations, MENAC can apply sanctions (from 2,000 to 45,000 euros for companies or similar organizations and up to 3,740. 98 euros for individuals). Human). However, he has not yet exercised his sanctioning powers.
“The Sanctions Committee, the body of MENAC responsible for determining the opening of administrative proceedings and making proposals for the imposition of fines, took office on October 2, 2023,” the body explained, emphasizing that “it has not yet received information about non-compliance requirements.” with the RGPC or violation of the rules on communication channels, suggesting the opening of appropriate proceedings in cases of administrative offenses.”
Despite its early claim to have favored a “pedagogical approach to organizations” for voluntary compliance, the organization also faced internal difficulties in responding to the demands of its functions.
“MENAC has never hidden the limitations imposed by the legally mandatory use of internal mobility for personnel support services, as well as the difficulties in creating a minimum number of employees capable of fulfilling the organization’s responsibilities,” the institution indicated.
He added that he had already begun the relevant RGPC compliance analysis and also noted the signing of a €996,000 funding contract in July under the Plan for Recovery and Resilience (PRR) to develop the information. monitoring system of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and which will be completed by December 31, 2025.
MENAC, headed by former judge-councillor António Pires da Graça, is an independent organization with administrative and financial autonomy active in the field of preventing and combating corruption.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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