President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa addressed an 80th anniversary ceremony for the criminal police at the PJ headquarters in Lisbon, attended by PJ National Director Luís Neves and Justice Minister Rita Alarcão Júdice.
In his speech, the head of state expressed “gratitude” to António Costa for “his commitment to resolving a problem during a difficult moment for the PJ” by “choosing the leadership” and “making serious commitments to organizational, statutory, financial, and personal aspects.”
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stated that the appointment of Luís Neves to lead the PJ in 2018 was “one of the best choices by that prime minister and that Government,” noting it had “the support of other sovereign bodies, starting with the President of the Republic.”
“The then prime minister, accompanied by the justice minister at the time, Francisca van Dunem, but especially the prime minister was crucial in the institution’s transformation,” he added, emphasizing “this gratitude is due.”
Later, the President acknowledged that Luís Neves has shown “great leadership” and praised the current prime minister, Dr. Luís Montenegro, and the current justice minister for their “sense of continuity and regime” in reappointing the PJ National Director.
Luís Neves was appointed as PJ National Director in 2018, reappointed in 2021 during the PS government, and again at the end of last year by the previous PSD/CDS-PP government led by Luís Montenegro, with the current justice minister, for another three years.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa regretted that successive governments lead to constant changes in policies and leadership.
“But here, there was a sense of regime to understand that a cornerstone of this institution’s life was to continue the leadership, to pursue the leadership further than before. And it was said here where and how: further in digitalization, further in investigation, further in the sophistication of means, further in recruiting youth. And this is a great victory for Portugal,” he praised.
The head of state noted that the “turnaround” at the PJ “was not only about financial means,” but acknowledged, “the enhanced status was essential.”
“It brought difficulties, as you can imagine, for the political power, both former and current. The former, which struggled until the end in terms of governance with it, and the current, which resolved it from the start, to avoid enduring that sentiment of relative comparison. But it’s not just about that,” he continued.
The President highlighted characteristics of Luís Neves’ leadership such as “competence, effectiveness, team spirit, enthusiasm, renewal capacity, betting on the past, certainly, but even more on the future.”
At the end of his speech, he announced that Luís Neves’ decoration “will have to await the end of his duties” as “a matter of convention,” and that for now, he would “bestow the Judiciary Police with the title of honorary member of the Order of Christ.”
“It is not just the work of the leader, albeit a great leader. It is the work of all of you,” Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa declared, addressing those present in the auditorium.
