José Sócrates, who headed two Socialist governments between 2005 and 2011, has been detained on suspicion of corruption, money laundering and tax evasion since November . Three other people were detained at the same time.
“The MRB had presented the request to be made an assistente on the day following the detention of José Sócrates,” a spokesman for the group, Pedro Pereira Pinto, told Lusa News Agency.
“At this moment, we’ve been accepted and we’ll await the unfolding of the case to act.”
According to Pinto, the group decided to submit the request due to “the seriousness of the case that involves the former prime minister.”
The MRB had, he said, “warned Portuguese citizens of the fact that a network of obscure interests, using political parties with access to power, have taken over state structures and organised the country so as to extort [money] from citizens.”
The organisation had decided to take an active part in the case so as to help combat corruption, he said.
It also intends to request the status of assistente in a separate investigation into alleged corruption in the administration of ‘golden visas’, as Portugal’s fast-track residence permits for big investors are known.