Court of Auditors detects 676 million euros in excess public works in just three years

The Tribunal de Contas reported that public works in Portugal incurred an additional cost of 676 million euros from 2023 to 2025 due to extra works and budgetary errors. This amount significantly exceeds the 592 million euros identified over the previous 12 years. The audit covered 1,197 projects from 265 public entities, revealing that the total expenditure rose from an initial 5.7 billion euros to approximately 6.4 billion euros, marking a 12% increase. Local authorities accounted for most additional costs, while state-owned enterprises also contributed significantly. The Tribunal noted that over 40% of contracts did not report additional works, raising concerns about compliance with reporting requirements.