On Tuesday, Chega demanded a parliamentary hearing with the Minister of National Defence, following news that 13 soldiers refused to board a Navy ship, citing lack of security conditions.
In a request sent to the Luz Agency and addressed to the President of the National Defense Parliamentary Committee, Chega’s parliamentary group proposes that Minister Helena Carreiras and Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Enrique Gouveia y Melo be heard as a matter of urgency and “behind closed doors if necessary.”
“This is not the first case of serious and permanent damage to the ships of the Navy, as was the case with one of the engines of the frigate Bartolomeu Dias (F 333), and it is well known that the Navy this year will have 33 million euros less for the maintenance of ships (deficit of 41% compared to needs), it is important to clarify what is the real condition of the ships of the Portuguese fleet and the real financial needs necessary to ensure that “situations like this” do not happen again”, it is enough to endure.
The party believes that “these egregious situations, unfortunately, increasingly recurring, lack of funds and financial resources in the Armed Forces, in addition to jeopardizing national defense, are increasingly generating great distrust and discredit towards our partners and allies” .
More than a dozen soldiers from the Madeira-based NRP Mondego refused to embark on the mission on Saturday, citing lack of security conditions. The Navy considered that the 13 operatives “did not fulfill their military duties, usurped functions, powers and duties not inherent in their respective positions and positions”, and added that “the facts are still being investigated in detail, and discipline and the resulting consequences will be applied appropriately.”
According to a document drawn up by the 13 soldiers in question, which Lusa had access to, on Saturday evening the NRP Mondego received orders to “keep an eye on the Russian ship north of Porto Santo” at a time when meteorological data forecasts “indicated a swell from 2.5 up to 3 meters.
According to the Navy, this follow-up mission was not carried out.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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