The PSD parliament group believes that there are “seemingly insurmountable contradictions” between Diogo Lacerda Machado’s statements in the parliamentary inquiry committee and various documents and contracts in the possession of the CPI and requested documents from BCP, Geocapital and TAP and more questions to the former administrator of the airline.
In a request addressed to the Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into the Political Protection of TAP Management, António Lacerda Sales, for the Social Democrats, the existence of a premium payment by TAP to Geocapital is questioned in the purchase of the maintenance operation in Brazil.
Lacerda Machado said on May 11 that “GeoCapital didn’t make a dime on this operation” and that “while GeoCapital was in the operation, the sole beneficiary of capital gains was TAP itself,” but the company’s incorporation contract takes effect [Newco]between Geocapital and TAP SGPS, dated November 7, 2005, indicates that they were received by GeoCapital “and increased by a mark-up or premium of 20% on the sum of all amounts of capital, supplies and expenses, invested by Geocapital at Newco” .
The Reaching Force purchase and sale agreement, signed between Geocapital and TAP, on March 30, 2007, states that “TAP SGPS has paid the amount by wire transfer to the account specified by Geocapital on this date, in respect of the deliveries heretofore made to Reaching Force, plus a 20% premium”.
The PSD reports that there was in fact a payment of between $4.2 million and $4.3764 million, which Lacerda Machado justified with “7% interest on the loan for 27 months,” “on top of $21 million in dollars.” However, the Social Democrats note that there are 16 months between the contract for the creation of Reaching Force and the sale of Geocapital’s interest in that company and not 27, which would bring the financial costs around 1.96 million euros.
That’s why the PSD parliament group asked BCP for a “copy of the contract or financing operation between BCP and Geocapital, in 2005, for the amount of $21 million [dólares americanos]approximately, including table or indication of payments made – capital, financial charges and credit settlement”, to Geocapital the “copy of contract or financing operation between BCP and Geocapital, in 2005, in the amount of USD 21 million, approximately, including table or indication with payments made – capital, financial charges and credit arrangement” and to TAP the “copy of receipt, discharge document, detailed description of the purchase operation by TAP of TAP Geocapital’s 85% interest in Reaching Force, if any [a CPI já dispõe do contrato de compra]”.
At the same time, Lacerda Machado is asked to describe the transaction again, indicate the ultimate purpose of the payment of the premium, explain the reasoning and calculations she has made, specify the actual costs incurred and provide the extracts, proof of payment of the financial costs, as well as of the liquidation of said loan, by Geocapital.
Source: DN
