The Ministry of National Defense will request an audit of all licenses for the activities of trade and industry of military goods and technologies granted by the ministry since 2015, after detecting possible irregularities in this process.

"The Minister of National Defense will request an audit, to be carried out by the General Inspection of National Defense, aimed at verifying compliance with the law and determining all responsibilities related to all licenses for the activities of trade and industry of military goods and technologies granted by the Ministry of National Defense since 2015," reads a statement released today, which Notícias ao Minuto had access to.

At issue are possible failures in the "double control" of these licenses - the responsibility of the General Directorate of National Defense Resources (DGRDN) and the National Security Office (GNS) - detected in a "preliminary investigation" carried out by the ministry now supervised by Nuno Melo.

"After a preliminary investigation, it was found that, apparently, since 2015 the requirements provided for in art. 6 of Law 49/2009 of August 5 have not been met," the same note states. 

Additionally, in a "restricted sample of processes considered," the possible licensing was found "of a company whose partner was sentenced to prison for a crime provided for in paragraph a) of paragraph 3 of art. 8 of the same law and, as such, unless a better opinion, without suitability in the terms set out therein".

"If confirmed, it means that both levels of control have failed," the ministry argues.

The suitability of the holders of individuals or companies that require licensing for trade and industry activities of military goods and technologies is ensured through a double control carried out by the DGRDN and the GNS.

According to the ministry, in the initial control, to be carried out by the DGRDN, "all requests are imperatively instructed with a set of elements, namely the identification of the markets that the applicant intends to reach; of all partners, directors, directors or managers and respective criminal record certificates, shareholdings that they hold and detailed information on the group's structure".

Under the terms of Law 49/2009, those who, among other things, have been convicted, in the country or abroad, of the crimes of fraudulent bankruptcy, negligent bankruptcy, forgery, theft, robbery, fraud, extortion, breach of trust, infidelity, usury, corruption, issuing checks without funds, unlawful appropriation of goods from the public or cooperative sector, false statements, money laundering or violations of the legislation specifically applicable to commercial companies, or even for crimes committed in the exercise of activities of trade or industry of military goods and technologies and for illicit trafficking in weapons.

Stressing that "the decisions of political office holders presuppose the prior conviction of an assessment in obedience to the principle of legality carried out by the administrative dimensions" -- in this case, the DGRDN and the GNS -- the ministry of Nuno Melo argues that "the doubt about the correct compliance with the established rules [...] by those who have the obligation to ensure them [...], potentially paralyzes political decisions, with serious prejudice to the normal functioning of the guardianship".

"The guarantee of transparency and compliance with the law in the Ministry of National Defense are an obligation and a priority for the Minister of National Defense," he emphasizes.

[News updated at 10:52 am]

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