PSD deputy Joaquim Pinto Moreira may be accused of influence in a new case, as he allegedly asked a councilor of the Chamber of Ovar, Aveiro district, to make a construction project viable.
The case was investigated in the context of the Vortex operation, which was related to corruption in the Espinho chamber, but in an order that Lusa had access to today, the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) has determined the procedural separation of the evidence issue regarding until the trial that ended in the Chamber of Ovar.
According to the MP, the facts in question are likely to integrate the practice of the crime of influence committed by the Social Democratic deputy and mayor of Espinho between 2009 and 2021.
Earlier this year, SIC reported that Joaquim Pinto Moreira allegedly asked a Councilor of the Chamber of Ovar to make a construction project feasible, at the request of an architect from Espinho, one of the defendants in the Vortex operation.
According to that television station, the MP believes that Joaquim Pinto Moreira, as a deputy, met with the councilor of Ovar, suggested contacting the municipality’s mayor, Salvador Malheiro, and pressured a technician from the National Civil Protection Authority to a project of businessman Francisco Pessegueiro, another defendant in Operation Vortex.
The Department of Investigation and Criminal Action of Porto does not conclude that the former mayor of Espinho received any amount for the alleged mediation work, but understands that Pinto Moreira was promised a minimum of 50 thousand euros.
However, the Chamber of Ovar has already made public that Joaquim Pinto Moreira requested in May 2022 to schedule a meeting with the councilor for urban planning to discuss a matter related to a construction process.
“This meeting was held, exposing the subject, which was sent by the councilor for technical analysis by the competent municipal service,” says the municipality, adding that this is the “procedure” usually followed by local elected officials in the consultations that carry out the request of citizens or other citizens.
Also according to the municipality, after a technical analysis by the competent services, the application was rejected and this rejection was communicated to the process holder on July 8, 2022.
In addition to this case, Pinto Moreira has already been accused of aggravated passive corruption, influence and violation of urban rules by an official in the Vórtex trial, related to urban projects by the Chamber of Espinho.
The Social Democrat asked for his mandate to be suspended at the end of March, after being made an arguido, but two months later he announced that he would resume his seat in parliament without informing the PSD leadership, ultimately ruining his politics confidence withdrawn.
Source: DN
