Former Social Democrat MP Sergio Azevedo this Thursday expressed regret at the news of his involvement in a judicial investigation into an alleged exchange of favors between PS and PSD in Lisbon, classifying them as a character assassination without the right to a defense.
“As a citizen, my only regret is that there are insults to reputation that are unacceptable under the rule of law,” the former SDP MP wrote on his Facebook account, responding to a TVI/CNN report about the alleged exchange of favors between PS. and PSD in preparing lists for the 2017 municipal elections to ensure that some of Lisbon’s parishes remain.
Sergio Azevedo says that for the past seven years he has been harassed in the news about the trial, for which he has never been asked to give any explanation, “neither as a witness, nor even as a defendant.”
“This news represents a very serious personal, professional and family damage that was overcome only thanks to the presence and help of my family and some friends, to whom I am deeply grateful,” he wrote.
The former deputy added that he “never” had “the right to the most elementary contradiction”, since he did not ask or request anything. “Unfortunately, not being able to exercise this right, I cannot clarify what I know only through third parties,” he complained.
Recalling that he retired from politics in 2019 “by personal choice,” Sergio Azevedo vowed that he would defend himself in the proper place, in the courts.
“I will not fail to exercise my right to defend my good name and my dignity, but I will do this not in the square, but in the courts, because I believe in the rule of law, which I have always defended,” he said. sure.
Finally, the deputy denied being “in an unknown location” as described in the report, as he lives “in the same city, in the same parish, in the same house as usual”, in addition to having “the same mobile phone”. number”, while doing their “everyday” profession, as well as daily using public transport.
“Only those who really don’t want to find me can’t find me,” concluded the former Social Democratic deputy.
The TVI/CNN report, which cites an investigation by the Ministry of Public Administration and the Judicial Police, names Sergio Azevedo as well as the current PSD deputy Carlos Eduardo Reis and the current Finance and Environment Ministers Fernando Medina and Duarte Cordeiro for alleged acts committed during during their stay in the Lisbon Chamber.
This news forced Carlos Eduardo Reis to prove that he cannot be a “useful idiot” of the party so that two ministers can be overthrown and early elections can be held, in the position adopted at today’s meeting of the PSD parliamentary group.
The investigation includes several e-mails of “criminal significance” according to the SP inspector in the trial report Tutti Frutti, which highlights the existence of “political agreements between Sergio Azevedo (of the PSD), Duarte Cordeiro and Fernando Medina (of the PS). )” for awarding benefits and placing people in “strategic positions” in the 2017 municipal elections.
Reference is also made to the “issuing of false invoices and agreements with PS officials to conclude public contracts with companies”, as well as to the “wedge” requested by Luis Filipe Vieira – President of Benfica until 2021 – that the property belonging to him son was released from IMI.