The Portuguese Navy has excluded private intermediaries from a deal worth about 3.9 billion euros to buy three frigates from Italy's Fincantieri shipyards, according to sources in the defense sector who spoke to Correio da Manhã.
The sources said the purchase is a state-to-state agreement between Portugal and Italy rather than a private commercial negotiation. Under this institutional arrangement, they said, there is no connection or context whatsoever for commercial intermediaries.
Part of the EU's SAFE defense fund
The frigate purchase forms the largest part of Portugal's spending under SAFE, the European Union's financial instrument designed for joint defense procurement. The SAFE program requires intergovernmental agreements for joint acquisitions between member states.
Portugal plans to invest 5.8 billion euros overall under the program. The frigates deal is the only contract that has been signed so far.
