THE PRESIDENT of the Portuguese Order of Lawyers says that crimes of corruption are going unpunished within the higher echelons of the state hierarchy.
Bastonário Marinho Pinto of the Ordem dos Advogados has called for a “parliamentary investigation into the fortunes of some politicians”.
Marinho Pinto launched his accusations during an interview on RTP radio’s Antena 1 but stopped short of naming names.
The Coimbra lawyer pointed a generalised finger of suspicion at situations that “everyone knows about” whereby “members of the government carry out private business deals with private companies, and don’t declare a conflict of interest”, and then when “they leave the government, end up being invited to sit on the board of directors of these companies”.
He accused them of forking out millions of euros in payments for dubious services and then complaining that there is no money for basic social services.
Marinho Pinto says that he has not got concrete proof, rather indications that some lawyers are covering up the tracks of corrupt and less than transparent activities.
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