José Socrates accused the Portuguese judicial authorities of bad morals for demanding information about his travels to Brazil. The socialist travels to the country regularly for his doctorate and ensures that the costs of the trips are paid for himself.
The former Prime Minister, Jose Socrates, accused the Portuguese judiciary of “offending” to demand information about the regular trips he has made to Brazil, since April last year, and guarantees that he does not have to provide any explanation to justice about trips to the country. Jose Socrates said in an interview with SIC: “A judge can’t force me, she can’t go and ask the police where I am and where I stopped walking. It’s just abuse.”
But the socialist emphasized that he had no problem answering questions about travel abroad, if done “in good politeness”. “When people ask me what it’s like to be a police state, they react badly,” he repeated.
José Socrates stated that the trips to Brazil were linked to his obtaining a Ph.D. in international relations at the Catholic University of São Paulo and that he also writes for a Brazilian magazine, ensuring that he can bear the expenses. “I registered for my PhD at the University of São Paulo and traveled for it,” he confirmed in an interview with SIC on Wednesday. “I am the one who pays for these trips,” he asserted, adding that he “worked for some companies” and appealed a “lifetime subsidy” that allows him to pay for trips to Brazil.
Since June 2016, Sócrates has received a total grant of €2372 from Caixa Geral de Aposentações. The socialist stopped receiving monthly support for life as a former deputy because he was working in the private sector. Work and at the same time receive the scholarship incompatible. And the former prime minister reiterated that he got this amount again because he boycotted his professional activity.
These trips have been reported to the judicial authorities and José Socrates ensures that he does not have to do so because in the process he does not hold a period of identification or residence. “I don’t have a very simple reason: I don’t have an IRR,” he said.
When asked about the possibility that his coercive measures might be exacerbated by trips to Brazil, José Socrates is not afraid. “I’m not afraid of anything. I’m not afraid of storms and I don’t like crawling,” he said.
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