Nuno Melo to face Parliament over Fincantieri frigate deal

Portuguese Defense Minister Nuno Melo is scheduled to appear before the Assembly of the Republic to address the controversial acquisition of three next-generation frigates from the Italian company Fincantieri. The procurement process, valued at approximately 3.9 billion euros with expected delivery in 2029, is being conducted under the European Security Action Instrument (SAFE), a defense investment program totaling 5.8 billion euros.

The hearing follows criticism from political parties, including Chega and the PS, regarding a perceived lack of transparency in the SAFE process. Controversy has also been fueled by reports concerning the Portuguese company NTG, which allegedly lost 90 million euros in commissions after being excluded from the operation. However, the Ministry of National Defense has rejected these claims, asserting that the acquisition is an intergovernmental process between Portugal and Italy and that no Portuguese companies were involved in the official procurement process.