On March 24, the Porto Criminal Instruction Court (TIC) decreed coercive measures for the four defendants, with Carla Salsinha being subject to “immediate suspension from exercising her duties” at UACS and being banned from visiting the association’s facilities and contacting UACS employees and the other defendants in the case.
According to the order signed by criminal investigating judge Pedro Miguel Vieira, two of the accused are “strongly accused of committing 14 crimes of abuse of power”, and two other accused “they are strongly accused of committing at least one crime of passive corruption”.
The Lusa agency questioned the UACS about Carla Salsinha’s detention, including whether it maintains confidence in the association leader and whether her temporary or permanent replacement in the position of president of the Board is planned, but received no response to these questions.
In a statement, the UACS Board of Directors, chaired by Carla Salsinha – who is suspended from her duties – said that the “Lúmen” operation does not involve the association as a collective entity: “UACS was not made a defendant within the scope of the aforementioned operation, or any other, nor, much less, notified of any indictment, accusation or coercive measure.”
The UACS Management also reinforced that the associative activity remains “unchanged”, in pursuit of its main objective, especially that of “better serve commerce, associates and the community of the Lisbon region in which it operates”.
With more than 155 years of activity, UACS is an institution dedicated to representing the commerce and services sectors, “basing its actions on the defense and prestige of those it represents, in scrupulous compliance with applicable legislation, as well as the respective statutes and regulations”highlighted the UACS Management.
As part of the “Lúmen” operation, searches took place in 10 municipalities: Lisbon, Tavira, Lamego, Maia, Figueira da Foz, Viseu, Trofa, Póvoa de Varzim, Ovar and Santa Maria da Feira.
According to the Judiciary Police (PJ), the investigation originated from a complaint linked to the “alleged tampering with public procurement procedures related to the supply and installation of festive lighting, used during the Christmas season and in the celebration of various festivities”.
The investigations carried out revealed the existence of a “criminal scheme, of an organized and systemic nature, aimed at tampering with bidding processes”.
“By illegally obtaining privileged information in exchange for financial compensation attributed to members of contracting entities, in subversion of the rules of transparency, equality and market competition, awards were guaranteed to the target company in amounts totaling eight million euros”said the PJ.
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