The newly elected president of the Union of Prosecutors (SMMP), Paulo Lona, considered it positive this Wednesday that the new government led by Luis Montenegro considers justice and the fight against corruption a priority.
“It is a positive sign to hear that the Prime Minister is putting justice and the fight against corruption as a priority,” he told the Lusa Paulo Lona agency, noting that “the lack of resources to combat this type of crime has been highlighted both domestically and beyond”. “.
Paulo Lona recalled in this regard that the 2023 report of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in the chapter on anti-corruption policy “clearly points out the need to improve the capacity of prosecutors to combat economic and financial crime, including corruption and money laundering” .
“The fight against corruption must be carried out, in addition, by listening to the judges of the Ministry of State, who are responsible for criminal actions” and who can best say what is needed in the fight against corruption, said the leader of the SMMP, recalling that in 2021 the union presented a complex proposals in this area that “were ignored by the executive branch.”
In his opinion, to effectively combat corruption, specific measures are needed, which are expressed in strengthening human, material and technological resources, emphasizing that these measures “depend on the executive branch.”
“More judges and police officers specialized in this area are needed,” added Paulo Lona.
According to the judge, the investigation of complex economic and financial crimes, namely corruption, increasingly requires the creation of special teams with a multidisciplinary approach, bringing together judges, police and technical specialists who, due to practice/experience, specialize in the investigation of issues such as money laundering, return assets, financial flow analysis or accounting analysis.
“But at the same time, these special groups are consumers of human and material resources, while they are in very short supply,” warned the same person in charge.
Paulo Lona also said that the SMMP is “as always ready to cooperate in agreeing on measures to combat corruption.”
This Wednesday, the government decided to instruct Justice Minister Rita Judice to talk to all parties with seats in parliament, representatives of the justice sector and civil society in order to develop a package of measures against corruption.
This decision was announced this Wednesday by Presidential Minister Leitan Amaru at a press conference after the first meeting of the Council of Ministers of the XXIV Constitutional Government, noting that the process will begin immediately after the parliament takes office.
“We will quickly approve a package of ambitious, effective and coordinated measures to combat corruption,” the minister said.
The anti-corruption package was already announced by Prime Minister Luis Montenegro in his inaugural speech.
“The goal is to synthesize, within two months, proposals, measures and initiatives that can be agreed upon and reached consensus, after due verification of their coherence, credibility and feasibility,” he said, asserting that “no one has a monopoly ” about the best solutions.”
From now on, he added, the executive branch will focus on approving relevant laws “either at the proposal of the government or at the initiative of parliament.”
The Assembly of the Republic will discuss the program of the XXIV Constitutional Government on April 11 and 12, the document will be presented on April 10.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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