Portuguese State “continued to sign contracts with company under investigation by Public Ministry

João Paulo Batalha, leading Portugal’s association for Transparency and Integrity is questioning the sense in the State having signed 42 contracts, worth roughly €3 million, with Sintra pharmaceutical firm Quilaban, after the company started being investigated for selling protective masks “without quality”. Quilaban has enjoyed a number of directly-awarded contracts with the State for the supply of material during the pandemic, while Mr Batalha has queried the eye-watering values of similar contracts (not put out to tender) expedited in the last year. According to Observador last May, 17 contracts of these contracts saw the State shelling out nearly €80 million.