Portuguese PM calls extraordinary cabinet meeting to discuss family business

The Portuguese prime minister, Luís Montenegro, announced on Friday that he has called an extraordinary cabinet meeting for Saturday and will communicate to the country about personal and political decisions regarding the company currently owned by his wife and children.

“I will announce to the country my decision to close this matter once and for all”, Luís Montenegro told journalists ahead of a ceremony at Porto City Hall as part of the state visit to Portugal by French President Emmanuel Macron.

The prime minister also stressed that he would conduct “an in-depth assessment” of the personal, family, and political conditions, calling an extraordinary cabinet meeting for Saturday.

Luís Montenegro was reacting to the news published today by Expresso that the casino and hotel group Solverde, based in Espinho, has been paying the company owned by the prime minister’s wife and children, Spinumviva, a monthly fee of 4,500 euros since July 2021, for “specialised compliance services and the definition of procedures in the field of personal data protection”.

The prime minister also said that he had “no problem with disclosing” the services Spinumviva provides to the clients, but that they should take the initiative themselves.

“I hope that given this whole situation this can happen in the next few hours and that either on their initiative or with their authorisation the names of the companies, whose profile I announced in parliament, can be made known,” he noted.

Montenegro said he had not made any decisions “in conflict of interest with any professional activity or private interest”.

“It has never happened and it will never happen. Whenever a situation arises in which my intervention or my ability to make a decision collides with any private interest, either through the exercise of professional functions or even through personal knowledge, I will refrain from intervening,” he added.

The agreement between Spinumviva and Solverde was signed six months after the company, now owned by Montenegro’s wife and children, was set up in July 2021.

According to Expresso, Luís Montenegro worked for Solverde between 2018 and 2022, representing the group in the negotiations with the state that resulted in an extension of the concession contract for the Espinho and Algarve casinos.

That concession contract ends in December this year and there will be a new negotiation with the state, adds the weekly.

As a result, the leader of IL said that if Luís Montenegro wanted to remain prime minister, he had to get rid of Spinumviva, arguing that it is incompatible to be head of the government and have business activity.

The Chega leader added that the prime minister should resign or present a motion of confidence to be voted on in parliament.