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Prior approval uncovers secrets of the REN purchase that Miranda Sarmento won't reveal

Público12 September 2026 at 06:15

The Court of Auditors issued a prior approval on Parpública's purchase of REN, a document that revealed information that Finance Minister Miranda Sarmento had not previously disclosed. This prior approval provided access to details about the operation that had not been made public.

The Government has been referring explanations about the economic rationale of the purchase to the Finance Minister, but these answers were only made known through the Court of Auditors' prior approval process. This suggests there was an initial lack of transparency on the part of the executive.

The operation involves Parpública, a state-owned company responsible for managing public stakes, and REN, the national electricity grid. The purchase raises questions about the economic and strategic criteria that underpinned the government decision.

The article suggests that the Court of Auditors' prior approval process functions as a mechanism for oversight and transparency, allowing the public to learn details of public company operations that would otherwise remain secret.

Why this matters

This situation affects taxpayers and investors in Portugal, as it exposes gaps in the transparency of government decisions regarding financial operations in the electricity sector. The revelation of information through the Court of Auditors, rather than directly by the government, raises doubts about executive accountability and may influence confidence in the privatization and public acquisition process.

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This is our short summary of a report published by Público on 12 September 2026 at 06:15; the full text stays with the publisher. In our feed it sits under Politics. We currently carry 28522 items in that section.

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