Portugal’s Interior Minister Under Fire After Break-In at Ministry Headquarters

The Socialist Party (PS) in Portugal has requested a parliamentary hearing with the Minister of Internal Administration, Margarida Blasco, following a break-in at the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI). The incident, which occurred in the early hours of August 28th, involved the theft of several computers, including those belonging to high-ranking officials. The PS is concerned about the security breach and the potential compromise of sensitive information stored on the stolen devices. Pedro Vaz, a PS leader and MP, criticized the government’s response to the situation, stating that the government has downplayed the seriousness of the event. The PS wants to understand how the break-in was possible, especially given the presence of 24-hour police security at the building. They also seek clarification about the specific content of the information held on the stolen computers and why those particular officials’ devices were targeted. The MAI has confirmed the break-in, stating that the intruders scaled a neighboring building under construction. While some of the stolen computers were spare devices, the PS remains concerned about the implications of the security breach.