The Mayor of Oeiras, Isaltino Morais, responded this Wednesday (25) to accusations from the Public Prosecutor's Office, asserting that “everything is within the law” and that the expenses in question relate to “business lunches” that are part of the municipality's normal activities. The mayor, who was charged alongside 22 other defendants with embezzlement and abuse of power regarding 150,000 euros spent on meals paid for by the municipality, stressed that these meals are part of the daily administrative routine of a city council. The case involves over 1,400 meals between 2017 and 2024. While the Public Prosecutor's Office considers this a “flagrant misappropriation” and a “serious breach of duty,” Isaltino Morais countered by asking where the illegality lies. He maintains that the council is fully cooperating with the investigation and that the expenses were for “business and courtesy lunches,” noting that he authorizes such meals daily as part of routine operations.