“Unfortunate reactions” of both ‘won’t change a thing’
Two military associations have reacted with dismay to the ‘official put down’ lobbed at their members following news stories that the Armed Forces are ready to stage protests over chronic lack of investment in the sector.
Both defence minister Helena Carreiras and Naval Chief of Staff Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo suggested any kind of protests would be “a source of insecurity and destablisation” for the country, and even unconstitutional/ anti-democratic.
The National Association of Sergeants (ANS) has challenged this position, calling the statements “unfortunate”
In a statement sent to the press today, the association stresses that the military are in solidarity with Portugal’s security forces in the fight for the mission supplement similar to that of the Judicial Police, and defends the legality of any possible military protest, claiming that there have already been demonstrations in the past on “10 November 2012, 14 March 2014, 25 October 2022 and 19 November 2022, among many others”.
The association also cites Article 275 of the Constitution of the Republic, which states that “the Armed Forces are at the service of the Portuguese people, are strictly non-partisan and their members may not take advantage of their weapon, their rank or their function for any political intervention”.
This way, it turned the tables on Ms Carreiras and Admiral Gouveia e Melo, questioning whether their own statements were much more “a source of insecurity and destabilisation, (for) not respecting, but rather militating against the Constitution, and being against the democratic regime itself?”
The sergeants reaffirmed that “they will not give up using all means, constitutionally and legally provided for, to fight for the defence of their rights and socio-professional conditions in order to achieve the best conditions to serve Portugal and the Portuguese people”.
So, no repentance there…
Then, in a statement of their own, the Non-commissioned officers Association (Associação de Praças) also contested the statements made by Ms Carreiras and the admiral as “inadmissible, undemocratic and destablising”. Without naming either of their critics, the association defended the legality of any possible street protests.
The bottom line was that showing discontent “does not jeopardise cohesion and discipline in the Armed Forces”.
The association calls for a “significant increase” in military condition supplements, mission supplements, boarding supplements and diving supplements, as well as a “real increase in salaries”.
“We are well aware of all the responsibility that is on us, all eyes are on our actions and speeches, when we decide to demonstrate our discontent with so many injustices that are placed upon us. But we are also very aware that when we make our voices heard, we do so within the legal framework that we know how to fulfil,” their statement reads.
This ‘fuss’ has all followed on from stories in the media last week, and has actually seen political parties affirm today that they are all in favour of increasing salaries within the military.
So far, no further reactions from the outgoing minister of defence, nor naval admiral Gouveia e Melo.
natasha.donn@portugalresident.com
