In the interview, José Sócrates rejected the charges that he directly or indirectly received considerations for the award of contracts.
“Never under any circumstance did I intervene or receive anything to favour anyone in public calls for tenders”, he said, denying the situation could have gone through his friend Carlos Santos Silva.
In summing up his period in prison, Sócrates insists: “Six months held on remand without charges. Six months of a violent defamation campaign by the prosecution. Six months of not being able to defend myself. Six months of threats and intimidation. Six months of abuse and lies. Six months of manhunt. And even then, they haven’t won. They say the law allows for a year on remand without charges. But not everything the law allows is authorised by decency”.
The former socialist leader considered that his imprisonment “is to stop the PS winning the election”.