Take a look at what’s happening in Portugal – his driver is involved, too

Published: December 3, 2014 at 7:27pm

Portugal’s ex-PM is under investigation and so is his driver – for driving large amounts of cash around for his boss.

socrates




41 Comments Comment

  1. Mr Meritocracy says:

    I know I’m generalising, but it simply has to be a socialist at the heart of a major corruption scandal.

    • P Shaw says:

      Yes, the socialists get excited with other people’s money.

    • Six of One says:

      You are indeed generalizing. Next door to Portugal, Spain’s Popular Party, now in government is plagued with scandals from all sides.

      • b says:

        Zapatero and the PSOE (socialists) were not exactly saints either.

        There was a litany of corruption cases under their government. Ever wondered why the country is virtually bankrupt?

        If anything the country has improved since the PP took over, at least economically. But when you are left with a hole so big, corrupt officials right across the political spectrum (PP included) and no cooperation from the party that dug the hole and created the deficit, you have your back to the wall really.

  2. Tabatha White says:

    Ah maybe that’s what the deal was: now people are talking about usury. That bags of cash may have been what was transferred to the friends that arrived on the scene.

    EIther that or Police store dope.

  3. Joe Fenech says:

    Malta is the pits. Never have I seen anything as weird.

  4. Dave says:

    Meanwhile in Malta the government/PL uses “rent-a-crowd” and online poll manipulation tactics:

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141203/local/manuel.546739

    How long before Muscat bans babies from being called Joseph (as per his chubby North Korean mentor)?

  5. Nistaqsi says:

    what a farce:

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/mobile/view/20141203/local/manuel.546739

    Look at Adrian Grech Cumbo of Leisure Clothing and ITS Board, clapping and shouting Manuel Manuel.

  6. Francis Saliba M.D. says:

    At this rate the driver/bodyguards of European Socialist Ministers will soon be demanding “danger money”.

    • Tabatha White says:

      And Juncker will be insisting on a guns screening whenever Karmenu Vella, and his driver, are in the vicinity.

  7. Mila says:

    Portugal is a country know for its snail paced justice system but there is now an attempt at a crackdown on corruption.

    We in Malta would be puzzled to read the following: ”The government has also been rattled by recent inquiries after the arrest of the immigration service chief earlier this month on suspicions of corruption linked to the issuing of “golden visas” to wealthy foreigners forced the interior minister, Miguel Macedo, to step down.”

    A Minister had to step down i.e. shoulder responsibility.

    http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/11/24/uk-portugal-corruption-socrates-idUKKCN0J828520141124

  8. dutchie says:

    Drivers always get to know too much and that’s why they are protected by corrupt bosses.

  9. ChrisM says:

    Socialism does not work

  10. observer says:

    The driver should have stuck to baby-sitting and avoided transporting money, as that is much safer – unless, that is, some idiot thought it fit to crash into the PM’s car (while the driver was having a tea-break at his mother’s) and smash its side-mirror.

    Then, obviously, the driver would needs pull out his pistol (Gluck or whatever) and deal with the idiot as such idiots should be dealt with – at least in Gzira.

  11. bob-a-job says:

    It’s not looking that good in China either.

    Despite high-profile crackdown, China falls 20 places in global corruption and now ranks 100th.

    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/despite-high-profile-crackdown-china-falls-in-global-corruption-ranks/article21898807/

  12. Makjavel says:

    It is their DNA, socialists are small time dictators and big time corruption mongers.

  13. C.G says:

    Jista jkun li z-zewg miljuni cash li Mallia investa mal-kugin tal-Kasco gew trasportati mix-xufier tieghu ukoll? Nimmagina li kellu bzonn ta’ skorta armata li tixtob ir-Red Bull sabiex ikolla ghajneja miftuhin sa ma tasal fid-destinazjoni.

  14. bernie says:

    Dan jikkonferma wkoll fatt importanti hafna.

    F’kazi bhal dawn, ix-xufier hu persuna ta’ fiducja.

    Ghalxejn Manwel Mallia jibqa’ jghid li lix-xufier tieghu bilkemm kien jaf min hu.

    Dikjarazzjoni bhal din turi biss li Manwel Mallia jrid jipprova jitbieghed minn dak li hu ovvju.

    Jigifieri li mhux biss kien jaf sewwa lix-xufier tieghu izda anke li zgur ghamel minn kollox biex inaqqas il-gravita’ tal-kaz u barra minn hekk jiddistanzja ruhu minn dak li gara.

  15. John Higgins says:

    It is obvious that Socialists are the same the whole world over.

  16. P Shaw says:

    In the meantime, in Malta, Manuel Mallia is given a hero’s welcome by the (organized) illiterate crowd.

    • Gaetano Pace says:

      Les vaincres et les vancus. The victors and the conquered losers. How stupid could labour be, welcoming Casesar to Rome without realising that they are not the victors but the vanquished. So say all of them that is what makes them jolly bad fellows.

    • Volley says:

      Only in Malta?

  17. Chris says:

    Is there a way I could access a mobile version of your website?

  18. Be-witched says:

    Very high standards by Labour politicians being held in southern Member States of EU indeed.

  19. edgar says:

    Stupid Socrates driving large amounts of cash. He should have kept it under the mattress.

  20. Nistaqsi says:

    Xi haga li nahseb hadd ma saqsa.

    L-bord ta’ nkjesta mahtur mill-PM, se jinterroga lill-istess Prim Ministru?

    Se jistaqsi lill-PM x’hin sar jaf? U x’sar jaf?

    Fil-kaz hu nvolut l-Kurt Farrugia li jirrispondi dirett lilu, li s’issa nafu li hu kien li bghat l-istqarrija lid-DOI. Nassumi li f’kaz bhal dan, tant delikat, Kurt Farrugia kkonsulta mas-superjur dirett tieghu?

    • Gaetano Pace says:

      Le ta. Dawk jitkellmu over a cup of tea. Biex jekk tqum xi kontroversja il maltempata tibqa a storm in the teacup.

  21. curious says:

    But our Manuel is a hero. What an orchestrated welcome. Worse than China.

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141203/local/manuel.546739

  22. Adam's Rib says:

    ”Dr Farrugia denied that the Housing Authority increased the rental fees. But he did not exclude that this will not happen once the new government housing policy is discussed.”

    http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-12-03/local-news/Family-minister-Opposition-MPs-cross-swords-on-government-housing-rental-fees-6736126796

    I do not know who is lying but yesterday someone I know who lives in a government flat told me that she received a note telling her that the rent of her flat has been raised and the raise is backdated from last October.
    So much for the weekly 58 cent increase in her old age pension!

  23. pete ross says:

    Daphne, take a look at this:

    In Australia, where politicians make mistakes too, but have not lost their morality and self respect, the NSW minister for the police (equivalent to our Manwel Mallia) had immediately resigned last May following serious allegations:

    “I have made the decision that I should not remain in this office when such a serious allegation has been made against me,” Gallacher told reporters.

    http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/02/us-australia-corruption-idUSBREA4106P20140502

    And the allegation here was not about flying bullets, frames-ups and cover-us of frame-ups, but about party financing.

    • Gaetano Pace says:

      This is exactly Mallia`s line of defence. Since the allegations involve his head of secretariat Scerri and his driver and not himself, he says he does not have to go.

  24. pete ross says:

    On-line poll on the ToM:

    Are you satisfied with the energy minister’s explanation for delaying the new power station by 15 months?

    NO: 73%

    mmmm. Would we see another hacking operation, same as we saw yesterday on the ToM’s on-line poll regarding Mallia’s credibility and whether he should be booted out by the pimp-in-chief?

  25. Magical Realism says:

    That’s in Portugal but here in the Republic of Malta taghna ilkoll, corrupt politicians are hysterically welcomed with shouts of hosanna as if it was the third coming of the messiah.

    Look at this link with Manuel Caesar Augustus triumphantly entering Rome.

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/mobile/view/20141203/local/manuel.546739

    They really think of themselves as emperors reigning over vast lands and territories with unlimited resources. One day this dreamy bubble is going to burst with a loud bang and sadly it will bring down all of us sane and insane standing alone on this piece of rock called Malta.

    Then truly Malta will be taghna lkoll with all the problems created by these criminals in power.

  26. Watcher of lies and corrupt politicians says:

    This is why the MLP leaders will be so reluctant to hand over power to another party. They would be afraid of the proverbial long arm. So the MLP machine is on overdrive constructing ways and means to remain in power for the longest time possible. For eternity if they could, but this they can’t do of course.

  27. Gahan says:

    “However, Portuguese media has reported allegations that his driver Joao Perna made a number of trips transporting cash to Paris, where Mr Socrates has been working in a new role at a pharmaceutical company.”

    If it were for our Manuel he would have declared that he knows nothing like this other Manuel:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNeM7mXdXwI

  28. The Phoenix says:

    Pinocchio, Snow White, and Superman are out for a stroll in town one day.

    As they walk, they come across a sign:

    BEAUTY CONTEST TO FIND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN THE WORLD

    “I’m entering!” said Snow White.

    After half an hour she comes out and they ask her “Well, how’d ya do?” “First Place” said a smug Snow White.

    They continue walking and they see a sign:

    CONTEST TO FIND THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD

    “I’m entering!” says Superman.

    After half an hour he returns and they ask him “How did you make out?”” “First Place” answers Superman. “Did you ever doubt it?”

    They continue walking when they see a sign:

    CONTEST! WHO IS THE GREATEST LIAR IN THE WORLD?

    Pinocchio enters. After half an hour he returns with tears in his eyes. “What happened?” they asked.

    “Who the ‘F**k’ is JOSEPH MUSCAT?” asked Pinocchio

  29. Volley says:

    That’s what happens in normal democracies.

Reply to Tabatha White Click here to cancel reply