Fight against corruption to “defend democracy”
High profile cases involving former and current political figures have highlighted corruption in Portugal.
The PCP’s secretary general, Jerónimo de Sousa, has warned that the fight against corruption is a fight to defend democracy and has criticised those who “cynically take advantage” of recent developments in justice cases.
“When some people cynically take advantage of recent developments in court cases, it must be said that the fight against corruption and economic-financial crime is a fight to be fought in defence of the democratic regime and for the deepening of democracy”, said the communist leader, while alluding to Operation Marquis, which involves former Prime Minister José Sócrates.
Posted on 10 April 2021.
Judge Ivo Rosa has ruled on Friday against former Portugal’s prime minister, José Sócrates, on a trial involving 189 crimes of corruption. According to the rule, most charges were dismissed. Only 17 charges will go on to court.
The 17 charges include money laundering and falsifying documents. The crimes also involve 28 co-defendants, of which only five will stand trial. The decision was a blow to prosecutors and sparked an uproar in the country.
The crimes were allegedly committed by Sócrates and other co-defendants, when Sócrates was the leader of the Socialist Party (PS), and served as prime minister elected from 2005 to 2011.
Follow RT on The corruption charges facing Portugal s former prime minister, Jose Socrates, since his arrest in 2014 have been dropped, but he will still stand trial for alleged money laundering, according to local reports.
Ivo Rosa, a judge at Portugal s highest criminal court, announced on Friday that Socrates would no longer face corruption charges due to insufficient evidence, weak arguments made by the prosecution, and because the period in which some crimes can be tried has expired.
The ex-PM denies all allegations against him and told reporters that there had been a manipulation of the legal process by the Public Prosecutor s Office, resulting in him being