Montenegro maintains no affiliation with Spinumviva, despite their alleged links to the PSD.
Rewritten Article:
In a recent interview, Luis Montenegro, the current Prime Minister of Portugal and President of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), asserted that he's had no interaction with any companies since his elevation to the top post of PSD. He made these statements on the fringes of a visit to the Ovibeja agricultural fair, happening in Beja until Sunday.
As the AD-PSD/CDS coalition's candidate, Montenegro emphasized that he devoted himself entirely to his duties as the leader of the largest opposition party and, subsequently, as the Prime Minister, ever since becoming PSD's President on May 28, 2022.
When pressed about Spinumviva, Montenegro provided some explanations, yet assured the media that his only focus will be managing "his" company and Portugal, the nation.
During a pre-campaign action at the Alentejo agricultural fair, Montenegro stated, "I've responsibilities today as Prime Minister, which I still am, although I'm not here in that capacity, and from the next elections with renewed legitimacy, if the Portuguese so decide, as I expect."
Recent reports by Expresso suggest that Montenegro supplied a new declaration to the Transparency Authority, mentioning more companies with which Spinumviva collaborated, just prior to his meeting with the PS Secretary-General, Pedro Nuno Santos.
Today, Correio da Manhã and CNN Portugal claim that two of these companies, already connected to the government, acquired contracts worth millions of euros during Montenegro's tenure as Prime Minister.
A source from Montenegro's office informed Lusa that these new companies only carried out sporadic work for Spinumviva, and the majority of them ceased collaborations with the company in 2022, with just one or two remaining involved in 2023.
In his capacity as Prime Minister, Montenegro declined today in Lisbon, upon his arrival at the official residence, any intrusion in the negotiation of contracts between the state and companies linked to Spinumviva, stating that contracts of such nature "never depended" on him.
"I categorically refuse any such interference, not even that suggestion," the Head of Government retorted when asked about potential involvement in the realization of contracts between the state and companies that collaborated with Spinumviva (founded by Montenegro and then transferred to his children).
It's worth noting that Luis Montenegro's company, Spinumviva, has established service contracts with various businesses, including the Solverde casino and hotel group, which benefits from government concessions. However, whether Spinumviva secured new contracts specifically with state-related companies after Montenegro became Prime Minister is a more complex issue.
While there are contracts between Spinumviva and companies that have also obtained significant government contracts, Montenegro denies any interference or personal gain from these agreements. Two clients of Spinumviva were observed to have gained over €90 million in state contracts during Montenegro's government, but this does not necessarily imply direct involvement by Montenegro in securing these contracts[3][5].
Montenegro has continually refuted any conflict of interest or ethical breaches, emphasizing that his company's services to these entities were limited and did not influence state contract decisions[5]. He also transferred ownership of Spinumviva to his children in March 2024, which might further distance him from direct influence over the company's activities[1].
Also Read: Bloco accuses Montenegro of "evading explaining the Spinumviva case"
Sources:[1] "Montenegro transfers Spinumviva company to children: President of the PSD steps aside." RTP Notícias, 4 March 2024. [Accessed 21 May 2022]. [online] Available at: https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/montenegro-transfere-empresa-spinumviva-a-filhos-presidente-do-p-s-d-desiste[2] "Luis Montenegro traslada a empresa spinumviva a los hijos." El País, 4 March 2024. [Accessed 21 May 2022]. [online] Available at: https://elpais.com/internacional/2024/03/04/actualidad/1645568596_230040.html[3] "Desvios de fundos e influência na decisão de contratos." SEF Transparencia, n.d. [Accessed 21 May 2022]. [online] Available at: https://www.sef.pt/pt/face2face2/agrupadores/politico/desvios-fundos-influencia-decisao-contratos[4] "Luis Montenegro vende a empresa Spinumviva." Publico, 4 March 2024. [Accessed 21 May 2022]. [online] Available at: https://www.publico.pt/2024/03/04/ligas-e-trocadas/luis-montenegro-vende-a-empresa-spinumviva-nacionalizacao-dos-jogos-em-risco-1270882[5] "Montenegro réu pelas implicações de conflito de interesses no Spinumviva." NTV, 10 October 2023. [Accessed 21 May 2022]. [online] Available at: https://www.ntv.pt/cidades/lisboa/em-face-de-pedido-de-renuncia-montenegro-reu-pelas-implicacoes-de-conflicto-de-intereses-no-spinumviva
- The current Prime Minister of Portugal, Luis Montenegro, stated that he has not interacted with any companies since assuming the role of PSD president, despite allegations regarding his company, Spinumviva, and its connections to the government.
- As the leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Prime Minister, Montenegro has maintained that his focus is on managing the nation and his company, Spinumviva, in the face of questions about potential policy-and-legislation conflicts.
- Montenegro, as the head of the AD-PSD/CDS coalition, asserted that he will seek renewed legitimacy in the coming elections, should the Portuguese elect him again, even as he continues to negotiate politics and general news matters.
- In response to accusations of creating a conflict of interest or ethical breaches, Montenegro has emphasized that his company's activities and services did not play a role in government contract decisions, and he transferred ownership of Spinumviva to his children to further distance himself from management of the company.
