Government admits “it’s a risk”; all efforts being made ‘to be ready in time’
With headlines focusing very much on domestic politics, the fact that Portugal is running the risk of being suspended from Schengen Space has barely been mentioned.
Expresso today explains the problem: it is all to do with a delay in installing a new system of frontier control that has to be ‘validated’ by July.
Right now, there is a major scramble ongoing behind the scenes to be ready on time.
“If we don’t manage it, once July arrives we will be suspended”, minister of the presidency António Leitão Amaral has admitted, highlighting “the enormous problem for Portuguese tourism”.
“Naturally”, Leitão Amaro blames the previous government, says Expresso: “In March, the government led by António Costa managed to approve authorisation for the spending of €25 million (on the necessary equipment) but it did not have the capacity to launch a tender for (its) purchase, which will now have to be done by direct contract”, the paper explains.
Direct contract (ajuste direto) is one of the ‘pitfalls’ of every government, as the practice carries the whiff of ‘cronyism’/ favoritism/ backhanders that the country is at pains to shed.
“For the phase that has to be validated by July, an expense of €3 million is required”; Expresso continues.
“Proceedings are being managed by SSI (the country’s system for internal security), led by Paulo Viseu Pinheiro (who in July will be leaving to take up a position as ambassador in NATO). But even direct contract implies bureaucratic procedures, including (the requirement) to pass through the Accounts Court (Tribunal de Contas) which is right now evaluating two contracts for software with companies that are developing software applications for the system.
“The European Union is aware of Portugal’s situation, and Expresso knows that Viseu Pinheiro had a videoconference with the director general of internal affairs, to reassure in terms of deadlines.
“Within SSI, there is the admission that the risk (of being suspended from Schengen) remains, and that the bureaucratic process has not been easy nor smooth (part of the financing is through the PRR*), but a source for the organisation guarantees that “it is not probable” that Portugal will fail the declaration of readiness in July, so that the system can be operational in October”, concludes the paper.
*PRR – the plan for recovery and resilience, funded by the European Commission.
Source material: Expresso
