Lisbon, Aug. 21, 2026 (Lusa) - NTGroup (NTG) confirmed on Friday that the company participated exclusively in its own capacity, distinct from the «formal intergovernmental negotiating team», and it focused on other activities rather than taking part in the final meetings regarding Portugal's purchase of three frigates from Italy, emphasising that it seeks no payment from the Portuguese state.
In a statement regarding Portugal's acquisition of the three «FREMM EVO» frigates from Italy, the company also highlighted that it had remained outside the meetings at the Portuguese government's discretion.
«This circumstance does, however, confirm that NTG carried out significant work in creating and developing the opportunity, and it preserves the rights arising from the activity previously carried out and from the commercial relationship maintained with Fincantieri [the Italian manufacturer],» it added.
For NTG, «presence at the final negotiations does not, in itself, constitute a necessary condition for the recognition of those rights», whilst also considering that «its contribution to the creation and development of the opportunity was substantial, documented and direct, and it reserves all its rights in full».
The matter centres on a news article that the online newspaper 24Horas published on 7 August 2023 regarding Portugal's acquisition of three frigates from the Italian manufacturer Fincantieri for €3.9 billion, in which it states that an alleged last-minute withdrawal by the Portuguese company NTG, which was to act as an intermediary in the deal, caused that company to lose €90 million in commissions.
Following the report, the defence minister announced that he would take legal action against the newspaper 24Horas over the article, as well as against Chega's leader, André Ventura, and MP Pedro Frazão for their comments on social media regarding the case.
The company emphasised that «it has consistently maintained that no payment is due from the Portuguese state», stressing that the situation in question «is exclusively of a commercial nature between NTG and Fincantieri».
«For reasons of confidentiality and given the legally sensitive nature of the matter, it will not comment on contracts, remuneration terms or figures put forward by third parties», it stressed.
NTG explained that it had carried out «ongoing work in Portugal over several years to present, promote and position Fincantieri's naval solutions», which since 2020 had included «institutional contacts, presentations and initiatives with the relevant Portuguese authorities, contributing to the promotion of the FREMM EVO solution and to Fincantieri's positioning in the Portuguese market».
The Portuguese company also said that it would continue «to defend its legitimate interests through the appropriate channels».
In a statement also released on Friday, following NTG's statement, the Ministry of Defence regretted and deplored «all the false statements and allegations made in recent days on this matter, particularly regarding the ministry's decision to distance itself from the company and allusions to the destination of commissions».
The ministry, led by Nuno Melo, also said it expected «in the name of truth and decency, a retraction from all those who made such statements».
«As the Ministry of Defence has consistently stated, with regard to this investment, contacts and negotiations take place solely at the level of the Portuguese and Italian governments and exclusively between the directorates-general for armaments of the two countries, without any political interference,» the ministry's statement said.
DMC/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
