"The abusive exercise of power must be denounced and repudiated. Those who so often proclaim that the law must be fulfilled should be the first to fulfill it," reads a joint statement from the National Association of Sergeants (ANS) and the Association of Enlisted Men (AP).

In the text, the two associations express "their displeasure and concern" with the situation of the 13 military personnel who in March of last year refused to board the ship Mondego, citing security reasons, and who for this reason were punished last April with suspensions between 10 and 90 days.

"In a surprising decision by the Navy leadership, which borders on illegality, jeopardizes the well-being, livelihood, and dignity of the families of the military personnel, the two most senior sergeants were surprised by the fact that their entire salary was withdrawn in the month of May!" the text criticizes.

The associations cite the Military Discipline Regulations, which establish that "the penalty of suspension from service implies, among other aspects, 'the loss, during the period of its execution, of supplements, subsidies, and two-thirds of the salary earned on the date thereof'".

"Portuguese legislation also determines that, in penalties that imply a cut or loss of salary, this can never affect the entire amount, and there are minimum levels so that the livelihood of the punished individual or their family is not jeopardized," they argue.

On the 11th of this month, contacted by Lusa, the Navy spokesperson, Commander Sousa Luís, confirmed that those military personnel received a salary receipt for zero euros for May and explained that this was due to the fact that, in April, those military personnel had received their full salary, when they should have already had a penalty.

Sousa Luís clarified that in May the penalty for the two months was deducted from their salary, which is why they did not receive any amount.

Questioned about the minimum amount of existence below which it is not allowed to penalize salaries, the Navy spokesperson referred further explanations to this week, but said that the penalized military personnel were informed of the reason for the lack of salary this month.

The two associations repudiated these statements by the Navy spokesperson, accusing him of having "lied when he told the media that the military personnel were warned that their May salary statement would come to zero".

"Injustices and lies are not in keeping with the essence of the military personnel of the Armed Forces," they accuse.

The text ends with the two associations reiterating "their full solidarity with those thirteen brave military personnel who, defending the safety of lives and the naval environment where they served, gave a demonstration of straightforwardness, loyalty, and courage, characteristics that should be the prerogative of all military personnel".

On March 11, 2023, the Portuguese Republic Ship (NRP) Mondego failed a mission to follow a Russian ship north of the island of Porto Santo, in the Madeira archipelago, after four sergeants and nine enlisted men refused to board, citing security reasons.

Read Also: Two of the military personnel who refused to board the Mondego without pay in May (Portuguese version)