The deputy rapporteur of the CPI, Mário Amorim Lopes (IL), recalled that the central objective of the work is “understand the state that INEM has reached and [como] failed to fulfill his public service.”
A This Wednesday, the hearings begin with in-person testimony from the president of the Union of Pre-Hospital Emergency Technicians (STEPH), Rui Lázaro, to investigate any flaws in the service.
On Thursday, it will be the turn of the coordinator of the workers’ committee of the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) to make statements in parliament.
Hearings will take place on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5:00 pm and after the plenary.
Speaking to the Lusa agency, the deputy rapporteur of the CPI, Mário Amorim Lopes (IL), recalled that the central objective of the work is “understand the state that INEM has reached and [como] failed to fulfill his public service.”
According to the liberal deputy, the delays in aid, during the strike at the end of October and beginning of November 2024, had “implications for everyone” and “there were even people who died”.
“Even outside the context of this strike, there were people who, if the service had had another response time, could have survived. We want to understand how, after so much money injected into INEM — money from the Portuguese, health insurance and life insurance contributions –, how INEM got to this situation,” he said
The CPI was approved in July at the proposal of the Liberal Initiative. It is made up of 24 deputies and has 90 days to determine political, technical and financial responsibilities relating to the current situation of INEM.
The focus includes INEM’s actions during the strike at the end of 2024 and the relationship between political guardianships and the institute since 2019.
Although he recognizes that the strike had “a considerable impact”, Mário Amorim Lopes highlighted that “the problems did not start” with the strike, considering it “a symptom of these problems”.
The CPI therefore intends to “make a diagnosis” and lay the foundations for “a refounded INEM, with the right reforms, that can provide the best service to the Portuguese”.
“It seems unlikely to me that we will be able to do this in 90 days”
The CPI’s work involves around 90 invited entities and personalities, many of whom will make written contributions.
Even so, the deputy rapporteur admitted that the schedule will be difficult to comply with.
“It seems unlikely to me that we will be able to do this in 90 days. We will probably have to extend this for another three months. But it is speculation. I am looking at the calendar, I am being realistic, and therefore, I imagine that this will require more time”, he stated.
The proposal to which Lusa had access foresees 58 face-to-face and 43 written hearings, starting with representatives of INEM workers, followed by other relevant entities to investigate the facts related to the strike and minimum services until reaching the Government.
Regarding the scheduling of new hearings, the deputy said that they are not yet completely closed and that questions will be sent to the entities and personalities who must respond in writing “It hasn’t started yet”.
At the beginning of December, the CPI deputies appointed the name of Mário Amorim Lopes to be responsible for writing the final report of the work, which received “broad consensus”.
