The Public Prosecutor’s office conducted searches on Tuesday, revisiting a controversy from 2022 involving TAP and the payment of a 500,000-euro severance package to then-executive director Alexandra Reis upon her departure from the airline.
Alexandra Reis received half a million euros for her early exit as a TAP executive in February, despite having two years of duties remaining. She was later appointed by the government as president of the Portuguese Air Navigation (NAV) in June. Subsequently, she served as Treasury Secretary of State but was dismissed by Finance Minister Fernando Medina after less than a month in office.
At the time, the Inspector-General of Finance identified significant flaws in the exit agreement, prompting the government to demand the return of over 450,000 euros of the payout, which Reis was requested to repay.
TAP is currently under investigation related to a severance package paid to a former administrator, the Public Prosecutor’s office announced.
Case stirred much controversy
The issues surrounding Alexandra Reis’s departure from TAP and the subsequent indemnity sparked widespread debate. However, the resignation letter from then-minister Pedro Nuno Santos revealed the government’s awareness of the negotiations, with the Secretary of State for Infrastructure seeing no conflicts in the agreement.
Pedro Nuno Santos’s resignation followed roughly 24 hours after Finance Minister Fernando Medina dismissed the Treasury Secretary of State, shortly after Alexandra Reis assumed office and amidst a four-day dispute over the 500,000-euro compensation by TAP, overseen by Santos.
The payment to Alexandra Reis faced criticism from the opposition and was even questioned by the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who remarked that some thought it would be “nice” if Reis waived the amount.
TAP pledges cooperation with authorities
TAP affirmed its cooperation with authorities in all investigations and refrained from commenting on legal proceedings, following the Public Prosecutor’s announcement of searches related to the indemnity to former administrator Alexandra Reis.
“TAP does not comment on judicial processes and always cooperates with authorities in all investigations,” the airline stated in a written response to Lusa.
The investigation targets the payment connected to the resignation of a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of TAP, announced the Public Prosecutor’s office.
Searches extend to a law firm in Lisbon and computer equipment in the General Secretariat of the Government, as referenced in a note from the Lisbon District’s Prosecutor’s Office.
There are suspicions of crimes including mismanagement, inappropriate receipt or offer of benefits, economic participation in business, and abuse of power.
