Lisbon, March 12, 2025 (Lusa) - The committee of inquiry in Portugal's parliament into the case of the Portuguese-Brazilian twins who were allegedly fast tracked for an expensive medicine is to meet on Thursday to discuss and vote on a preliminary report of its proceedings drafted by Cristina Rodrigues, member for the far-right Chega party as well as proposed amendments to the document.
The case, which relates to events in 2019, has attracted a lot of attention because of the alleged involvement to varying degrees of the son and close aides of Portugal's president, as well as at the Ministry of Health.
The chair of the committee, Rui Paulo Sousa, also of Chega, told Lusa that the aim is to try to debate and vote on the committee's conclusions in a single meeting, in order to finish the inquiry's work before the dissolution of parliament, which could happen as soon as Friday.
The work of the committee of inquiry into the case of the two Portuguese-Brazilian children who received one of the most expensive medicines in the world through Portugal's National Health Service (SNS) had been suspended until 25 March, but parliament on Wednesday approved a proposal by the speaker, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, to resume its work on Thursday.
The parties will be able to present proposals for changes to the draft report drawn up by Rodrigues as rapporteur whose conclusions have been criticised by several parties.
Contacted by Lusa, the coordinator of the governing centre-right Social Democratic Party (PSD) on the committee said that its members intended to table amendments.
Discussion of the final report in a plenary session of parliament is not obligatory but it is a possibility, said the spokesman for the conference of parliamentary party leaders on Wednesday morning.
On Friday, Rodrigues presented her preliminary conclusions at a news conference in parliament that was also attended by the Chega leader, André Ventura.
The proposal went to the members of the committee at almost the same time, in a process criticised by other parties and by the speaker, who last weekend made a point of stressing that there are still no conclusions from the inquiry but only a preliminary report.
The draft report by Rodrigues accuses Portugal's president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa of an "abuse of power" in the involvement of his office in the case.
FM/ARO // ARO.
Lusa
