The office of Prime Minister Luís Montenegro clarified on Sunday that the request made to the Entity for Transparency to halt public access to the property registration numbers of several real estate assets was intended solely to ensure the protection of sensitive personal data revealing private and family residences. Montenegro stated that only “six urban properties” were involved, contrary to earlier reports by national media suggesting 55 properties.
“The request to the Entity for Transparency was exclusively aimed at ensuring protection for sensitive personal data that identifies the private and family residences of the prime minister, similar to other holders of political office,” the statement sent to newsrooms read.
The body explained that “public disclosure of these residences’ addresses, through identifying documents, poses an increased risk to the security of the prime minister and his family, necessitating the deployment of public security measures that are impractical and costly for the public purse.”
“Contrary to reports, the opposition did not concern 55 properties. It pertains solely to six urban properties that constitute the habitual residence and residences of close family. This request for opposition is directly founded on the law and was therefore approved by the Entity for Transparency,” it added.
The statement also noted that “all property records of the respective urban and rural buildings owned by the prime minister are filed with the Entity for Transparency for the purpose of monitoring the prime minister’s assets and income.”
“The protection in question does not undermine scrutiny or access to documents indicating acquisition conditions, such as public deeds. Claiming otherwise implies bad faith and distortion of the facts,” it asserted.
It is to be recalled that the news was first reported by a media outlet, highlighting that the social democrat declared to the Entity for Transparency six urban properties (including the Espinho house and an apartment in Lisbon) and 46 rural properties inherited from family, as well as submitting a request opposing the disclosure of the property registration numbers.
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