PSD deputy and former deputy secretary-general Hugo Carneiro said this Thursday that he has always defended “the public interest” and the accuracy of accounts, without directly commenting on suspicions that party officials were paid through parliament.
Speaking to journalists in parliament, Hugo Carneiro – who had the financial portfolio in the previous direction led by Rui Rio – confirmed that he had been the target of house searches both in his residence in Lisbon and in Porto, and that he had used his mobile phone, guaranteeing full cooperation with the investigation, as they had already provided ‘passwords’ for computers and ‘pin codes’ for mobile phones.
“My actions have always been guided by the defense of the public interest. I think it is recognized that we have always had a concern in the PSD, when it had these features, to ensure the maximum accuracy in the PSD’s accounts and financial situation” , assured the deputy chairman of the Social Democratic bank.
The investigative report, he said, contains references to possible crimes of embezzlement, abuse of power and the commission of crimes by political office holders.
The deputy stressed that the trial stemmed from “anonymous complaints lodged with the prosecution” by party collaborators, said he had no indication yet that he would be charged – parliamentary immunity would have to be lifted for that to happen – and assured he had not spoken to the former president of the PSD, Rui Rio, also targeted for house searches in the same trial.
Asked directly if he knew that party workers would be paid with money from the parliamentary group, as reported by CNN (which followed the searches), Hugo Carneiro said he had already told the media what he wanted to say today.
“There are many things that will be included in the process that I don’t know about, it will develop over time and whatever is asked of me, I will not fail to answer,” he said, saying that he was calm in the face of this investigation, as he has always “defended the public interest”.
Source: DN
