Sábado news magazine is presenting an ‘expenses scandal’ à Portuguesa today: a list of government ministers and secretaries of state who claim housing allowances when they already have homes in the capital.
Housing allowances are designed for MPs whose permanent homes are located more than 150 kms from Lisbon. The niggle in this story is the word ‘permanent’. Those outed in Sábado’s investigation can claim that the properties they have in Lisbon are not their permanent homes. Even so, for a government that came in to office insisting that it wanted honesty and careful spending, this is not it. The housing allowance, per MP, runs to over €700 per month.
So, who is claiming public money in this way? The minister of Agriculture and the Sea, José Manuel Fernandes, for one – better known perhaps as the man who encouraged government environment agencies to ‘think about the people who want to implement projects’, and perhaps help them wriggle round environmental law by saying it should be changed?
According to Sábado, Fernandes has two properties in the capital – in Lumiar and Avenidas Novas – for which he receives €43,660 per year in rent. But he also puts in for a housing allowance of €724 per month.
Pedro Machado, secretary of state for tourism, also has a house in Lisbon – but he continues to receive his housing allowance because he doesn’t consider the property to be his permanent home.
Same goes for secretary of state for the sea, Salvador Malheiro. His office has reportedly told Sábado that his parents-in-law live in it. Malheiro apparently ‘refused to clarify whether he lives in the property that he owns’ when he is in Lisbon. Thus, very possibly he does – but claims the housing allowance because ‘technically’ he can.
Another sensitive issue concerns reporting obligations. The Transparency Authority requires that political office holders declare not only the properties that they own, but also any rental, loan or housing management situations. However, of the 19 government officials in question, only Minister Carlos Abreu Amorim (parliamentary affairs) and Secretaries of State Rui Rocha and Cláudia Sarrico, specify the conditions in which they live in Lisbon.
Sábado’s investigation concludes that there are two ministers (Carlos Abreu Amorim and Fernando Alexandre), 12 secretaries of state and six chiefs of staff who receive the housing allowance and do not have properties in Lisbon.
Source material: Correio da Manhã/ ZAP
