In response to journalists’ questions at the Champalimaud Foundation in Lisbon, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa refrained from commenting on the appointment of judge Carlos Alexandre to preside over a new structure, which was confirmed on Wednesday by Health Minister Ana Paula Martins.
“I believe I should not comment on specific decisions,” justified the head of state.
“Now, I think all Portuguese will understand that a decision aimed at affirming legality, transparency, the proper functioning of institutions, and combating corruption or fraud, if you will, aligns with the sentiments of the Portuguese,” he stated.
According to the President of the Republic, “any Portuguese, regardless of their opinions, whether they are for or against the government, with different political and electoral options, agrees that this applies to health as it applies to institutions in general.”
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa mentioned that the future Commission to Combat Fraud in the National Health Service (SNS) will be composed of an “interdisciplinary team, but within the domain of health,” with the objective of “having an exact notion of fraud in health and combating it.”
“Having an initiative in this domain, in the abstract – I like to put things in the abstract – can mean that in sensitive matters, which apply beyond cases A, B, C, D, E, a framework is being established that is positive for the government, the institutions, and the country,” he added.
