José Luís Carneiro added that these guarantees arise not only “within the framework of the responsibilities that the security forces will continue to assume” but also “within the framework of cooperation between the different security forces”, as happened, for example, at World Youth Day, highlighted.
The government official highlighted several Government measures in recent years for the defense and enhancement of security forces. “We are also on the side of the police,” he said.
In this sense, he rejected that there was any type of discrimination in the decision to award the risk subsidy to the Judiciary Police, but not to the GNR and PSP. José Luís Carneiro pointed out that police officers and guards “have supplements for service in the security forces”, in a “set of eight supplements”.
“The supplement for risk in the security forces also exists”, he stated, highlighting that it consists of a fixed part, which “went from 31 euros to 100 euros”, and another variable, depending on the remuneration.
He also highlighted that the Judiciary Police is “a body of two thousand inspectors” and that the PSP and GNR together represent 43 thousand security agents.
“The decision to award the PJ mission supplement dates back to 2019” and what was done was “the regulation of this 2019 decree-law”, the minister further explained.
This regulation “prevents members of the PJ from having other types of activities”, that is, they cannot have paid or paid activities, unlike what happens with the security forces, explained the government official.
However, he recognizes that, “understanding the need to continue improving conditions, we had an ongoing negotiation process that, five weeks before the elections, we cannot make a decision. (…) We do not have the political legitimacy to do so”, he argued as he had already done earlier in the afternoon, adding that this decision would have “a lasting and permanent financial burden”.
“Inorganic movements”
José Luís Carneiro once again highlighted the right to demonstrate by security forces, but said he considered it “intolerable” that “acts of indiscipline jeopardize the guarantee of security for citizens”.
Asked about which extremist forces could have influence over the security forces, the minister recalled the inquiry, launched around a year ago, into signs, attitudes and behavior on social media that could possibly violate constitutional values.
When meeting this Sunday with the PSP and GNR after the disrespect in Famalicão, the minister wanted to give guidance to the command of the PSP and GNR so that, “given signs of a connection between movements, stimuli, messages for acts of indiscipline and insubordination, these signs , which translate into actions, are transmitted to the Public Ministry”.
Without specifying party organizations or forces, the government official stated that the police could be influenced by “inorganic movements with various connections”. He mentioned four different “movements”: the first, which sought to encourage forces to consider vehicles operational; the second, in the sense of directing communications from the PSP to the PJ, an act that is being “the subject of investigation by the Public Ministry itself”; the third, a communication from movements to hand over their weapons and the fourth movement, to present sick leave.
“In light of these facts, they must be deeply evaluated, rigorously evaluated. If there is evidence of intent, naturally, ensure the application of the appropriate sanctioning and disciplinary regime and in the case of criminal acts, it can also be communicated to the Public Prosecutor’s Office”, stated the minister.
José Luís Carneiro states that “some, who are a minority”, cannot be allowed to call into question the “prestige and dedication” of the rest.
Regarding the events in Famalicão, in which 13 out of 15 police officers were discharged, the minister stated that the “inorganic movements” seek to “take advantage of some feelings of injustice”, but do not cover the majority of the security forces.
He gave as an example an appeal that was circulating around the time of a First League game, this weekend. “While there were responsible people who were carrying out duties. There was an appeal circulating for them to abdicate from fulfilling these duties. This is not acceptable”, he stressed.