Presidential candidate António Filipe expressed skepticism today regarding the creation of specialized structures targeting a particular sector, noting that existing entities already combat crime and fraud in general.
“I believe that creating specialized structures might not be a good idea,” he emphasized.
Speaking at the entrance of Covões Hospital in Coimbra, where journalists were barred entry, António Filipe pointed out that the proliferation and overlap of structures with those that are legally competent “is not always a good idea.”
“I have nothing against fighting fraud, obviously, as I believe tackling fraud in all areas of societal life should be a priority, but it might create a certain stigma around the SNS [National Health Service],” he added.
The Commission to Combat Fraud in the National Health Service will be chaired by a magistrate and will include permanent members from the Judiciary Police, the Health General Inspectorate, and Infarmed, as per the resolution published today in the Diário da República.
The magistrate’s name who will preside over the commission needs approval by the Council of Ministers, but Jornal de Notícias reports that it will be Judge Carlos Alexandre, known for handling controversial cases such as Operation Marquês and the BES case.
“While acknowledging cases that have been referred to and detected, they should be investigated, and as the law provides, ways to combat corruption should be created within public administration,” said António Filipe.
Regarding the appointment of Judge Carlos Alexandre, the presidential candidate, backed by the PCP, stated he would wait to see what results will be produced.
“We can observe carefully, but initially we have had cases of ‘ad hoc’ structures linked to certain sectors, which were eventually abandoned due to their apparent uselessness. But, well, let’s see,” he concluded.
Besides António Filipe (backed by the PCP), candidates Luís Marques Mendes (supported by the PSD and CDS-PP), António José Seguro (supported by the PS), André Ventura (supported by Chega), Henrique Gouveia e Melo, Catarina Martins (supported by BE), João Cotrim Figueiredo (supported by the Liberal Initiative), and Jorge Pinto (supported by Livre) have also announced their candidacies.
