Lisbon, Jan. 8, 2025 (Lusa) - Members of Portugal's parliament on Wednesday unanimously approved a request from the Chega party for the governor of the Bank of Portugal, Mário Centeno, to be heard on the institution's human resources policy, namely the remuneration of consultants.

In its request, Chega points out, without naming names, the case that recently came to light of one of the Bank of Portugal's employees "working as a consultant to the Board of Directors and earning a salary of around 15,000 euros."

Noting that there is no information on the specific tasks of these consultants, nor how many people are currently performing this type of function, nor information on the specific recruitment criteria for this type of function and that the legislation governing the running of the Bank of Portugal's is also not explicit on the subject, the party argues that it is therefore appoprriate to hear the governor.

In addition to Centeno, the Bank of Portugal administrator Helena Martins Adegas, who is in charge of the institution's People and Organisational Strategy Department (DPE), may also be called before parliament's budget, finance and public administration committee.

The suggestion that the administrator should also be heard came from Hugo Carneiro, from the governing centre-right Social Democratic Party (PSD), and was accepted. However, the chairman of the committee, Filipe Neto Brandão, decided to maintain the original request, with the understanding that Adegas will also be heard if the Bank of Portugal governor deems it necessary.

In presenting the request, Rui Afonso of Chega emphasised the need for the country to be informed about the costs incurred by an institution like the Bank of Portugal.

LT/ARO // ARO.

Lusa