Former Portugal leader denies meddling in state-owned bank

LISBON, Portugal – Portugal’s former Socialist prime minister, Jose Socrates, has rejected what he says are “insinuations” that he used his influence to ensure a troubled state-owned bank provided loans for a Portuguese vacation resort development.

Socrates, who was centre-left prime minister from 2005 to 2011, was arrested two years ago on suspicion of corruption, money-laundering and tax fraud and is still under investigation.

He wrote in an opinion article published Monday in daily Jornal de Noticias that a centre-right party’s proposal for a parliamentary inquiry into what caused the financial difficulties of Caixa Geral de Depositos is “a childish tactical manoeuvr” by his political opponents to discredit him.

He denied media reports that he gave the bank instructions on whom to lend money to.

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