Former Economy Minister Manuel Pigno, indicted in the EDP trial on suspicion of corruption in favor of an electric utility company, posted his initial statement online during questioning last week by the Central Department of Investigation and Criminal Affairs (DCIAP), confirming that he did not approve of the EDP and regretted that he agreed to become a minister during the first government of Jose Socrates from 2005 to 2009.
Taking a political position “was a huge mistake,” notes Manuel Pinho. “In addition to the expenses that my family and I had to bear financially (I was very poor in politics, not in getting rich) and public exposure, later my life changed, which led to a conclusion that already leads nine years, ”the former minister says on a website he created to promote his defense.
In this regard, Manuel Pinho not only announced that he was preparing a book entitled “In the Castle” for publication, but also became the target of a smear campaign.
“I live locked up as a result of a nine-year investigation into the alleged endorsement of the EDP in 2007, when I was minister (2005-2009), and the smear campaign that I have pursued (and am now). As you will see, the process involves situations that are out of place during Estado Novo, ”laments Pinho.
The former minister published the statements he made in DCIAP interrogation… “During the 9 years of this investigation, I lived in a situation of real imprisonment, which implied the need for permanent residence abroad without a permanent residence visa, as my social relations in Portugal became more and more limited and I had to give explanations whenever I needed opening a bank account or getting a visa for a trip, and it is very difficult, if not impossible, to work, ”he said.
In the same document, he reports that in 2013 he ran into a journalist with a 2012 income statement. “Faced with a situation that would never have happened under the rule of law, I asked the IRS to conduct an internal audit. investigation to find the person responsible (or responsible) for the violation of my tax privacy. To my surprise, and then to my lawyer, AT informed me that the prosecutor’s office requested a violation of my tax privacy.
In his defense, the former minister denies the thesis that his transition to the Socratic government was Ricardo Salgado’s idea to protect the interests of the Espírito Santo Group in the EDP (where BES had a little more than two% for many years), and the growth of Antonio Mexia in the EDP ( which he left in 2020) was identified by Salgado.
“Ricardo Salgado had absolutely nothing to do with the appointment of Antonio Mexia. Zero. You shouldn’t go there because they won’t go anywhere. There are many witnesses who can confirm this. This means that Ricardo Salgado and the BES have absolutely nothing to do with the EDP case, which concerns the alleged favoritism that never happened, ”says Pinho.
The former minister also accuses the prosecutor’s office of delaying the investigation, in which there is “nothing” to blame the defendants, even when the searches were carried out and the accused were appointed four years ago.
“The prosecutor’s office knows better than anyone that they are accused only because they wanted to end what you thought were statutes of limitations and have time to pull material from news stories published in the press and on social media. as well as from other processes under investigation to create a case. In the 39 pages of the indictment I was presented with in 2019, 21 links to articles published in the press! That is, they write off malicious information and lies in the press, they publish what they are given and you use it as a means of proof, “accuses Pinho.
In his speech, where he provides several arguments that have already been used in the past to defend the fact that EDP was not used under the CMEC (Contractual Balance Costs) regime, Manuel Piño does not explain one of the prosecution’s suspicions, which are receipts, which he owned through a company bank account in Panama with monthly payments from ES Enterprises, the so-called “blue bag” of Grupo Espírito Santo.
Pinho only refers to the fact that he did not receive inappropriate payments. “I can guarantee that I have not received an unjustified amount in euros from BES. With regard to any specific payments that have been made to me, I continue to wait for them to show me the documents proving their eligibility that my lawyers requested on 19.09 / 2019. and 10/30/2019, to date, there is no answer, but I want to say that I have never received anything that was not due to me, ”he said.
