José Luís Carneiro, upon arrival in Toronto, expressed serious concern that the Public Prosecutor’s Office failed to immediately present intercepted communications involving a sitting prime minister to the Supreme Court of Justice. He stated that in such matters, the Attorney General of the Republic should provide clear explanations to the country and announce any consequences in terms of accountability.
The PS party leader indicated that their response would depend on the explanations offered by Amadeu Guerra, suggesting possible measures to ensure accountability and draw appropriate conclusions.
The defense team for António Costa reiterated today the need for the Public Prosecutor’s Office to clarify why the intercepted communications involving the former prime minister were neither detected nor sent to the Supreme Court of Justice as required by law.
In a statement, lawyers João Lima Cluny and Diogo Serrano underscored the necessity for the Public Prosecutor’s Office to investigate the lapse and take necessary corrective actions.
The Attorney General’s Office acknowledged identifying seven instances where the former prime minister was involved in intercepted communications that were not communicated to the Supreme Court due to various technical reasons.
In a recent analysis of all intercepted communications from Operation Influencer, seven incidents involving then-Prime Minister António Costa were identified, which had initially gone undetected for technical reasons.
On November 7, 2023, during Operation Influencer, five individuals, including Costa’s then-chief of staff, Vítor Escária, were detained and subsequently released.
Suspicions of criminal activity involve the construction of a data center in Sines, the exploration of lithium in Montalegre and Boticas, and hydrogen-based energy production in Sines.
The situation led to the fall of the government led by the now President of the European Council.
