National Parliament approves second amendment to the Statute of the Public Prosecutor's Office
The Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira, in his capacity as Acting Minister of Justice, took part today, June 23rd, 2025, in the plenary session of the National Parliament for the Global Final Vote on Draft Law no. 17/VI (2nd), which makes the Second Amendment to Law no. 7/2022, of May 19th, Statute of the Public Prosecutor's Office. The proposal was approved with 38 votes in favor, six abstentions and no votes against. 
The aim of this amendment is to introduce a rule in the transitional and final provisions that allows the Attorney General's Office, through its management and disciplinary body, to appoint to the positions of Coordinating Inspector of Public Prosecutions and Coordinating Prosecutor of the Republic magistrates who, until the appropriate conditions are created, do not yet have the category or class required by the Statute. Until the competition and promotion to the category of Appeal Public Prosecutor is held, the amendment will also allow 1st Class Public Prosecutors to be appointed to positions requiring that category.
The legislative amendment also aims to allow the Attorney General's Office, in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic, to hold a competition for access to the category of Appeal Prosecutor. 
During the special vote, an addition to the transitional rules was also approved to allow the position of coordinator of the Central Office for Combating Corruption and Organized Crime, the Central Office for State Litigation and Collective and Diffuse Interests and finally the Office for Judicial Cooperation, Comparative Law and International Relations to be held by an Assistant to the Attorney General appointed by the Attorney General, until there are Appeal Prosecutors. Also approved in the special discussion was the creation of a transitional provision that allows, until there are career prosecutors to fill all the vacancies in the categories of the Public Prosecutor's Office, for 3rd class prosecutors with seven years' seniority, a minimum rating of “Good” and approval in a competition to be promoted to 2nd class prosecutors. And also that 2nd class public prosecutors with at least six years' service in the category, a minimum rating of “Good” with distinction and approval in a competition to be held by the Superior Council of the Public Prosecution Service, subject to the criteria referred to in Article 187(1) of the Public Prosecution Service Statute, be promoted to 1st class public prosecutors. END
