In a press release sent to the Lusa agency, the national board of the APG stressed that the intervention of Carlos Barbosa -- defining the GNR as "very expensive" and stating that that military force, "takes everything, every year" from the organization of the Rally of Portugal -- affects the prestige of the institution and disregards the work of all the professionals of the Guard who annually provide service to the rally "almost always completing 24 hours of service in precarious conditions".

The Association of Guard Professionals noted that Carlos Barbosa complained to the press "similarly to what has become habitual", about the amount paid to the GNR for the security service provided during the World Rally Championship (WRC) and that "is guaranteed by professionals in a paid regime".

The statements of Carlos Barbosa were made on Tuesday, on the sidelines of a signing session of protocols between the ACP, the six municipalities of the Centro region and the regional tourism entity, with a view to this year's edition of the Rally of Portugal, which will take place in that territory on the 9th and 10th.

At the time, heard by Lusa, Carlos Barbosa estimated the payment to the GNR at 605 thousand euros, fully supported by the rally organization.

"It is understood that what the President of the ACP wants is for these professionals to work for free, including the security of the event in general policing and, considering the level of commitment that the rally demands, depriving the populations of the right to public safety", accused the APG, in the statement.

"Within the tone of irresponsibility to which Mr. Carlos Barbosa has accustomed us, it is no longer even expected that he will retract before the Institution and the professionals since he only intends to increase his profit margins at the expense of the efforts of others and, ultimately, of the right to the safety of citizens", the note adds.

Contacted by the Lusa agency, César Nogueira, president of the APG board, explained that the security carried out by the GNR at the Rally of Portugal is carried out by military personnel in a paid regime, in addition to normal working hours and that it does not constitute overtime as it is not a continuation of normal public service.

On the other hand, he added, there are GNR military personnel who, either because they are displaced from their usual locations or because of the hours at which they assume the security of the Rally of Portugal, end up doing 24 hours of service, without being able to go home.

In the note, the APG also accused the president of the ACP of not being good at accounts: "frequently the GNR professionals are paid late and at odd hours, with delays sometimes of about a year, contradicting what is legislated in this regard and that should be complied with. There is no doubt that the law requires that these services be paid in advance", argued the union association.

"If the Rally of Portugal has the importance that it has, this is only possible thanks to the service provided by the GNR and to belittle that is to discredit the professionals and the institution they represent", alleged the APG, appealing to a position taken by the GNR Command "that guarantees compliance with the law and timely payment of services" by the ACP.

Leia Também: ACP quer Rali de Portugal novamente financiado pelo Estado central (Portuguese version)