The Prime Minister stressed this Wednesday that the Chief of Staff of the Navy must ensure discipline and order in his forces and that an investigation has been launched into the soldiers who refused to carry out the task.
This position was handed over at the end of the 34th Portuguese-Spanish summit in Lanzarote, in the Canary archipelago, after 13 soldiers refused to board the Mondego ship due to lack of security conditions.
In connection with this case, the chief executive noted that “an investigation is open by the Chief of Staff of the Navy, Admiral Gouveia y Melo, who must ensure discipline, order and readiness of all forces in service.” under your command.”
António Costa later stressed that “Portugal’s armed forces are ready to take on any task, wherever it may be”, with air and navy contingents in the Baltic Sea, “helping protect NATO’s northern border”.
“We have the Portuguese Armed Forces in the Central African Republic as part of the training missions of the United Nations and the European Union,” he added.
In Peniche on Tuesday, President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said he was awaiting the results of an investigation into the episode of navy personnel refusing to board the Mondego RSL and defended increased maintenance in the Armed Forces. Forces.
In a note sent to the Lusa agency on Monday, the Navy considered that the 13 soldiers who refused to board the Mondego “did not fulfill their military duties, usurped functions, competencies and duties that are not inherent in their respective positions and positions,” and sent ” discipline and consequences” to be applied after the facts have been “examined in detail”.
According to a document drawn up by the 13 soldiers in question, to which Lusa had access, on Saturday evening the Mondego ship was ordered to “follow the Russian ship north of Porto Santo” at a time when meteorological data forecasts “indicated a swell from 2 .5 to 3 meters.
According to these 13 soldiers, the commander of the NRP (Ship of the Portuguese Republic) Mondego himself “assumed before the garrison that he was not comfortable leaving it with the technical limitations” of the ship, including the engine and electricity. the generator is not working.
In a memo to the Lusa agency, the Navy confirmed that the NRP Mondego had a “breakdown in one of its engines” but said the mission to be completed was “short term and close to the coast, with good weather conditions”. -oceanographic conditions.
The branch added that the ship’s commander reported that “despite the indicated restrictions, he has safe conditions for the task.”
On Tuesday, a Navy official told Lusa News Agency that the 13 soldiers who refused to board the NRP Mondego would be subject to internal disciplinary action and that information about the incident had been sent to the Military Judicial Police.
Shortly after the incident, a review of the Mondego’s safety conditions was ordered.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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