European prosecutors reviewing PJ contracts awarded during Luís Neves’ tenure – CNN – Portugal Resident

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is reportedly conducting a preliminary review of public works contracts awarded by the Polícia Judiciária while current Interior Minister Luís Neves was its national director.

According to TVI/CNN Portugal, the review is focused at least partly on 17 contracts between the PJ and construction company Construbarcelos, worth a combined €2.23 million.

The company is owned by João Santos Carvalho, the contractor who was subsequently hired to renovate a rural property belonging to Neves in Odemira.

Neves has repeatedly stressed that decisions over PJ building contracts did not fall within his responsibilities as national director.

Responding to the latest report, the minister welcomed the scrutiny.

“As always, I am entirely available to cooperate with the authorities and provide any clarification requested of me,” he told TVI/CNN Portugal.

“All inquiries, investigations, inspections and/ or hearings are always to be welcomed, because they are relevant to establishing the truth.”

Preliminary checks, not a criminal investigation

CNN describes the procedure as a “verification process” — effectively a preventive examination of documents to determine whether there are grounds for a formal criminal investigation.

At this stage, it does not permit intrusive investigative measures such as telephone interception or access to confidential banking information.

EPPO has neither confirmed the review nor identified Neves or any other person as a suspect.

The Luxembourg-based organisation told CNN that it does not generally comment on continuing investigations or confirm publicly which cases it is examining, as this could jeopardise possible proceedings.

The reported review is believed to have begun after a series of reports by TVI and Nascer do Sol concerning contracts awarded to Construbarcelos between 2019 and 2025.

Only three of the 17 contracts went through an open public tender. Nine, representing approximately €1.45 million — or 61% of the total value — were awarded under an exemption allowing the PJ to dispense with consultations involving several potential contractors.

The PJ has said the procedure was justified by the particular security requirements governing work at police premises. Those considerations also allowed details of some contracts to remain unpublished on Base, Portugal’s official public procurement portal.

The work involved renovations and construction at the PJ’s criminal investigation departments in Guarda and Évora.

PJ asked to supply documents

CNN reports that the current PJ leadership has been asked to provide a substantial collection of documents concerning construction contracts awarded during Neves’ directorship.

National director Carlos Cabreiro also reportedly attended a meeting with representatives of the European prosecution service.

Cabreiro declined to confirm either the meeting or the documents requested.

“The Polícia Judiciária has no comment to make on the questions raised,” he told CNN.

EPPO specialises in crimes affecting the EU’s financial interests, including fraud, corruption, money laundering and the misuse of European funding. Any examination by its Portuguese delegation would therefore need to involve possible use of EU money.

Expresso is also reporting today that Construbarcelos received €973,000 in PRR (Plan for Recovery and Resilience) funding for refurbishment and energy-efficiency work at the PJ’s Guarda headquarters. As PRR money originates from the European Union, the contract falls directly within the European Public Prosecutor’s remit. The disclosure explains why EPPO may be examining the documentation, but it does not in itself indicate that fraud or corruption has been detected. 

The PJ currently has several European-funded modernisation and construction programmes, including €81.4 million for energy-efficiency work and almost €32.5 million for digital transition projects.

It remains unclear whether the reported checks are confined to Construbarcelos or extend to other PJ contracts involving European funds.

Separate trailer inquiry

The development follows the opening of a separate criminal inquiry by Portugal’s Public Prosecutor’s Office into the removal of a seized trailer containing drums of chemicals used in drug production.

The trailer was moved from police custody to a warehouse belonging to Carvalho, who has been described as a friend of the minister.

Prosecutors are investigating the circumstances in which the trailer was transferred and whether offences involving the unlawful diversion of seized property or abuse of power may have been committed. No accusation has been brought against Neves.

An internal PJ account subsequently indicated that the decision was initiated by the force’s director of finance and property because secure storage space was unavailable and there was no budget to destroy the chemicals. The proposal was reportedly validated at senior level while Neves was national director.

The latest report therefore adds another strand to the sustained scrutiny surrounding Neves, but not — at least for now — another confirmed criminal investigation against him.

What exists, according to CNN, is a request for documents and a preliminary examination. Whether it uncovers evidence justifying formal proceedings remains to be seen.

Source material: CNN/ SIC Notícias/ Expresso