The Liberal Initiative (IL) wants to know how many Leopard 2 tanks Portugal has and which ones are in working order, as well as the reasons for the “government’s hesitation” about sending these tanks to Ukraine.
In a question addressed to Minister of National Defense Elene Carreiras, the IL parliamentary group refers to the fact that after Germany authorized the transfer of German-made tanks last week, “there was a lot of news, often conflicting, about the intention [portuguesa] send four battle tanks.”
“According to several articles in the press as of January 27, only two of the machines sent will be in working order, there are 37 such machines in the country, a third of which are in working order,” the text says. .
Liberals are referring to statements by Helena Carreiras this Monday in Oeiras when she said the decision to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine has not yet been made, emphasizing the need to articulate aid to that country while preserving national capacities. military.
“Without a decision and an announced shipment date, and given the central role of this equipment in shaping the counter-offensive potential of Ukraine, 20% of whose territory is still occupied by invading forces,” IL raises a number of questions. to the minister.
“How many Leopard II tanks does the Portuguese Armed Forces currently have?” and out of that total, “how many are in working order,” he asks.
With tanks that are inoperable, liberals ask “is there an estimate of the average time to bring these vehicles into service?”
“What motivates the government’s hesitation about sending tanks to Ukraine?” – Another question addressed to the government headed by António Costa.
IL also wants to know if the executive branch has set “some kind of maximum limit on the number of cars that must be sent to Ukraine” and “if so, what exactly and according to what criteria.”
“Given the time constraints that exist in the war, requiring the training and rapid training of personnel and equipment much needed by Ukraine, is the Government ready to set a maximum date for a decision to send tanks to Ukraine?” liberals argue.
In Oeiras on Monday, Helena Carreiras again declined to comment on whether Expresso reported that most of the 37 Leopard 2 tanks in Portugal are not working, stressing that “there are different elements that need to be taken into account, whether in the composition of the tank itself or questions, related to the operability of means, with questions of training, with questions of substitutes.
“Military equipment is always at different levels of combat readiness, and I don’t publicly talk about the serviceability of military equipment, even for security reasons,” he said, answering a question about the serviceability of tanks.
On January 20, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (CEMGFA), Admiral Silva Ribeiro, indicated that Portugal had 37 Leopard tanks, but declined to comment on how many could be sent to Ukraine.
Last week, several countries announced the delivery of German-made Leopard 2 heavy tanks to Ukraine, after Germany authorized the transfer of tanks and the United States the delivery of Abrams tanks, which Kyiv insistently requested, equipment that Berlin and Washington refused to give permission for.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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