José Manuel Barroso, the European Commission president, has become embroiled in a party funding scandal in Portugal, his home country, with members of the European parliament demanding he answer questions about the affair.
They want to be told how much he knew about payments made by a construction group to his Social Democrats (PSD) shortly before he became prime minister in 2002 – and whether favours were rendered in return.
This week the Portuguese state prosecutor said he would consider opening a criminal investigation into the case after fresh revelations in the media.
In June the constitutional court convicted Somague, a construction and engineering company, of paying the PSD €233,000 ($318,000, £156,000) for services provided to the party by a public relations company. This exceeded the legal limit on private donations to political parties. Recent revelations have forced prosecutors to re-examine the case.
Local media allege that, less than two months after sanctioning the payment by Somague, the PSD’s finance director, who had since become public works minister, petitioned the state prosecutor’s office in a way that could be interpreted as favouring the construction company in the adjudication of a motorway construction and operation contract. The previous Socialist government had awarded it to a consortium competing with Somague, which contested the decision.
José Luís Arnaut, the PSD’s general secretary in 2001, has assumed “objective responsibility” for the donation, but says he was not aware of the facts at the time. Some believe Mr Barroso, as party leader, should also bear some blame.
A spokesman for Mr Barroso said on Friday: “This is a national issue and we do not comment on national issues.” However, she said he was prepared to answer any questions the Portuguese authorities and parliamentarians might have.
Bart Staes, a Belgian Green MEP, said: “These findings cannot be dismissed as an internal problem. [They] test Barroso’s integrity and independence.”
They want to be told how much he knew about payments made by a construction group to his Social Democrats (PSD) shortly before he became prime minister in 2002 – and whether favours were rendered in return.
This week the Portuguese state prosecutor said he would consider opening a criminal investigation into the case after fresh revelations in the media.
In June the constitutional court convicted Somague, a construction and engineering company, of paying the PSD €233,000 ($318,000, £156,000) for services provided to the party by a public relations company. This exceeded the legal limit on private donations to political parties. Recent revelations have forced prosecutors to re-examine the case.
Local media allege that, less than two months after sanctioning the payment by Somague, the PSD’s finance director, who had since become public works minister, petitioned the state prosecutor’s office in a way that could be interpreted as favouring the construction company in the adjudication of a motorway construction and operation contract. The previous Socialist government had awarded it to a consortium competing with Somague, which contested the decision.
José Luís Arnaut, the PSD’s general secretary in 2001, has assumed “objective responsibility” for the donation, but says he was not aware of the facts at the time. Some believe Mr Barroso, as party leader, should also bear some blame.
A spokesman for Mr Barroso said on Friday: “This is a national issue and we do not comment on national issues.” However, she said he was prepared to answer any questions the Portuguese authorities and parliamentarians might have.
Bart Staes, a Belgian Green MEP, said: “These findings cannot be dismissed as an internal problem. [They] test Barroso’s integrity and independence.”
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