The recent move by the Superior Council of the Public Ministry, approved on July 9 and published in the Diário da República on August 29, has sparked concern. The decision entails positions that allow prosecutors to work across multiple departments and courts simultaneously, sometimes combining criminal, civil, and family and juvenile jurisdictions.
The SMMP views this as “the final nail” in the specialization of Public Ministry magistrates. In July, prosecutors organized two days of a national strike and three days of regional stoppages, with participation rates ranging from 75% to 100%.
In September, there are no planned strikes, though the SMMP leadership intends to pursue “other forms of protest” this month, according to a statement last week by a source from the union led by Paulo Lona.
The Attorney General’s Office has justified the decision by emphasizing the need to “optimize existing resources” amidst a “recognized and notable shortage of human resources.”
