The Council of Europe has suggested rather more transparency should be displayed by Portugal’s MPs, judges and prosecutors.
The judicial authorities are urged to step up the prevention of corruption regulations that govern various professional groups in a report from the anti-corruption body of the Council of Europe - GRECO - on Portugal’s corruption prevention measures.
Pointing out that in 2011, under the economic adjustment programme agreed with the Troika, Portugal agreed to carry out a huge structural reform programme that included a reform of the judicial system.
The report notes that there now is a proper legal framework to prevent corruption in the three occupational categories analysed, but claims that "the various elements of the system are disconnected" and the legal picture is "fragmented and sometimes inconsistent."
"Apparently, fragmentation does little to mitigate the risks of corruption and causes uncertainty - both in the public and in these three professional groups. Above all, there is very little focus on the prevention of corruption," claim the GRECO report’s authors.
The report stresses that there is "insufficient attention paid to issues of integrity, accountability and transparency" and there are no established rules of professional conduct. GRECO uses as an example that "currently, parliament relies simply on the individual conscience of MPs."
The report also recommends that "several weaknesses" are addressed in the verification of assets system for parliamentarians, including remedies for the current absence of a thorough inspection process.
As regards the justice system, the report stresses its "vulnerability to political interference," mainly due to the composition of the boards responsible for appointments and career development of judges and the disciplinary proceedings in the ordinary, administrative and tax courts, and points out that the lack of financial autonomy of the courts and prosecutors weakens the independence of the whole system.
"In conclusion, the authorities invite these three professional groups to consolidate the existing legal framework and to strengthen the powers, impartiality and effectiveness of their supervisory bodies."
Whether anyone will take note of this damning exposee of Portugal's endemic cronyism, corruption and political interference remains to be seen but rest assured there are exceptions to the rather gloomy picture presented.
