Chamber of Lisbon hires former “illegal” councilor for direct adjustment 17 days after his dismissal

Former councilor Joana Oliveira Costa, who will have taken illegally inauguration, is back in the Lisbon Chamber, now as advisor to Diogo Moura, the councilman who initially was replacing.

According to, 17 days after leaving the position of councilor of the City Council of Lisbon, Joana Oliveira Costa was Hired by direct adjustment to the office of Councilman Diogo Moura. The appointment of the 22-year-old, currently investigated by the General Finance Inspection (IGF) by alleged irregularities in his inauguration as a councilwoman, is being challenged by the opposition.

According to the contract published on the base platform, Joana Oliveira Costa will receive a annual salary of 37 525 euros to provide advisory services in the area of ​​economics and innovation.

The decision generated criticism of the opposition to Carlos Coinas, with it to announce that it will call Diogo Moura to the Transparency Commission to provide clarification. Municipal Deputy Bruno Mascarenhas argues that there is no justification for hiring and that it represents a “offense to taxpayers”, Referring to an alleged political“ compensation ”mechanism.

Socialist councilwoman Inês Drummond also condemned the decision, stressing that Joana Oliveira Costa was at the center of a controversy that can compromise the municipal decisions of recent months. According to Drummond, “all the decisions he made as a councilwoman are subject to challenge”. As it arrives, the PS will advance with a request for Diogo Moura to clarify the situation in the transparency and finance commissions of the Lisbon Municipal Assembly.

The councilman’s office justified the hiring stating that Joana Oliveira Costa gained experience in the areas of economics and innovation as a substitute councilwoman and that gathers “knowledge and political confidence” for or position.

The controversy began when Joana Oliveira Costa replaced Diogo Moura at the Vereação between May and December 2024after the centrist suspended his mandate due to an accusation of the prosecutor, of which he was later unlawful. However, the councilwoman’s inauguration was questioned, since there was another name on the list that never formally refused the mandate.

The IGF opened an investigation into the case on 13 January, and the signing of Joana Oliveira Costa entered into force four days later. In addition to it, other members of your team were Retriented by direct adjustmentincluding Enide Seixas, who was involved in a controversy for being hired before the law course is finished.