Madeira's Chega Member of Parliament, Francisco Gomes, has demanded that the Minister of National Defence clarify the circumstances surrounding the alleged use of a Portuguese Air Force EH101 Merlin helicopter.
The helicopter is said to have been used to transport the President of the Legislative Assembly of Madeira to Porto Santo. Gomes questions why the government has not yet responded to a parliamentary inquiry submitted in August on the matter.
According to the MP, the parliamentary question originated from information suggesting the helicopter's use on August 15th, initially mobilized for an urgent patient transfer. The helicopter reportedly remained at Madeira Airport for about 1 hour and 20 minutes before returning to Porto Santo, allegedly to transport the Legislative Assembly President.
Gomes believes the government has exceeded the deadline for responding to the inquiry and questions the Ministry of National Defence's lack of clarification, citing the Assembly's Rules of Procedure. The MP seeks to know who requested and authorized the transport, the operational and legal basis, the costs incurred by the state, and if any formal request was made. If the facts are confirmed, the MP argues that responsibilities should be determined.
