Portugal’s Prime Minister Resigns As His Government Is Involved In A Corruption Investigation

LISBON, Portugal — Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa resigned on Tuesday after his administration was implicated in a sweeping corruption investigation, sending shockwaves through the European Union member’s generally placid politics.

Costa, Portugal’s Socialist leader since 2015, maintained his innocence but stated in a nationally televised address that “in these circumstances, obviously, I have presented my resignation to the president of the republic.”

The declaration came just hours after police detained his chief of staff during a raid on various governmental buildings and other locations as part of the investigation.

According to the state prosecutor’s office, the Supreme Court looks into suspects’ “use of the prime minister’s name and his involvement” in possibly illegal operations. The minister of infrastructure, Joo Galamba, and the head of the environmental agency were named as suspects, according to the report.

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa swiftly accepted Costa’s resignation. He is widely likely to dissolve parliament and call new elections.

Portugal’s Prime Minister Resigns As His Government Is Involved In A Corruption Investigation

In a statement, the president said he will assemble parliament on Wednesday and address the public after the Council of State meets on Thursday.

Costa sobbed as he thanked his family for their love and support.

“I totally trust the justice system,” he told reporters. “I want to say, eye to eye to the Portuguese, that no illicit or even reprehensible act weighs on my conscience.” He admitted he was not “above the law.”

“The dignity of the prime minister’s office is not compatible with any suspicion on his integrity, good conduct, and even less so with the suspicion that any criminal acts were committed,” he said.

The prosecutor’s office said in a statement that an investigation judge had issued arrest warrants for Vtor Escária, Costa’s chief of staff, the mayor of Sines, and three others because they posed a flight risk and to protect evidence.

The judge is looking into allegations of wrongdoing, corruption of elected officials, and influence peddling in connection with lithium mine concessions near Portugal’s northern border with Spain, as well as plans for a green hydrogen plant and data center in Sines on the south coast.

Portugal’s Prime Minister Resigns As His Government Is Involved In A Corruption Investigation

The police raided the ministries of the environment and infrastructure, as well as the Sines municipal council and individual houses and workplaces.

The European Union is pushing and significantly funding Portugal’s lithium mines and green hydrogen projects as part of the continent’s green strategy. Costa is a strong supporter of the projects and a close ally of Spain’s acting Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez.

Costa was destined to stay in office long after his Socialists won a landslide victory in elections last year.

However, his infrastructure and housing minister was forced to resign in December 2022 due to a public outrage over a 500,000-euro ($533,000) compensation payment to a board member of state-owned flag airline TAP Air Portugal. The infrastructure junior minister also resigned.

Since Costa’s party won the 2022 election, several prominent government officials have resigned.

Costa stated that he had no previous knowledge that legal authorities were investigating him.

“This is a phase of my life that comes to an end,” he told reporters.

SOURCE – AP