The three former secretaries of state rulers will formally be questioned this week, accused of taking an expenses-paid trip to watch Portugal play Hungary in Lyon in 2016 - and for asking serial tax avoider, Galp Energia, for additional tickets for heavyweight political colleagues
The three men, all of whom resigned last weekend following the Galp freebie football tickets uproar, will be questioned at length on different days by the Lisbon Department of Investigation and Criminal Action.
Fernando Rocha Andrade (former Secretary of State for Fiscal Affairs), Jorge Oliveira (Internationalization) and João Vasconcelos (Industry) are suspected of the crime of 'receiving undue advantage,' an offence now confirmed by the Attorney General's Office.
The investigation is into "the payment by Galp Energia S.A. of travel, meals and tickets for various football games featuring the national team in the 2016 European Football Championship."
In addition to receiving the full executive package which cost Galp €3,000 per person, the brazen blaggers are accused also of having asked for invitations for other members of staff.
The three are suspected of making requests to Galp on behalf of Vítor Escária (economic adviser to António Costa), João Bezerra da Silva (chief of staff for Rocha Andrade) and Pedro Almeida Matias (the former chief of staff for Vasconcelos), all of whom already are official suspects in the investigation.
The crime of "improper receipt of benefit” by the holder of political office, i.e. anyone who solicits an advantage for himself or a third party, leaves the recipient open to disgrace and punishment.
