This Thursday, the prosecutor’s office decided to appeal the ruling of the criminal investigation judge and divided the processes of Operation Influential Man into three separate investigations, affecting groups of judges in each of them.
“The prosecutor’s office, disagreeing with the ruling of the criminal judge who applied coercive measures against the five accused, filed an appeal last Friday with the Lisbon Court of Appeal,” PGR said in a statement.
According to the statement, the first investigation investigates “the facts surrounding the Data Center project developed in the industrial and logistics zone of Sines by the company StartCampus, and is in charge of four magistrates.”
The second inquiry will investigate “matters relating to the lithium exploration concessions at the Romano (Montalegre) and Barroso (Boticas) mines, for which three magistrates are responsible.”
The third inquiry will investigate the facts relating to “the Sines Hydrogen Energy Plant project, submitted by a consortium that has applied for the status of an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) and is under the responsibility of two magistrates.”
The stand-alone Supreme Court (STJ) trial into the Prime Minister’s links to Operation Influencer will continue alongside the remaining nexus investigation.
“With regard to the process led by the deputy in the STJ, without prejudice to the autonomy that has occurred, the connection between the facts investigated there and the facts of the DCIAP [Departamento Central de Investigação e Ação Penal] justifies and requires that processes take place under clearly defined conditions,” the statement said.
According to the statement, PGR “has determined that the judges responsible for the DCIAP investigations are assisting the Deputy Attorney General responsible for the STJ investigation” and that “the latter will be the one who will determine, in accordance with the needs he identifies, the exact terms.” this help.”
PGR adds that the autonomous STJ investigation will rely on “the support of all assets and elements involved in investigations conducted under the DCIAP.”
“Difficulties or delays that may arise that may jeopardize the objectives of the investigation must be reported to the Attorney General’s Office,” the statement also said.