Report rebukes Portugal for poor progress against corruption

LISBON, Portugal – A report by an international watchdog has warned that Portugal has a “very low level of compliance” with recommendations on fighting government corruption.

The Group of States against Corruption, the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption agency, said Tuesday that Portugal has properly implemented just one of 15 recommendations the group made in a 2015 survey.

The report on preventing corruption among lawmakers, judges and prosecutors concluded that Portugal’s compliance with the 2015 recommendations is “globally unsatisfactory.” However, it noted that the Portuguese government is preparing reforms to fight corruption.

In recent years, a former Portuguese prime minister, the government minister overseeing the police, the head of the country’s largest private bank and two senior magistrates, among other officials, have been arrested on suspicion of corruption.