Being that December 9th 2005 was International Anti-Corruption Day, I was quite glad to read in the Correio da Manhã newspaper online this morning that the Polícia Judiciária (Economic and Financial Fraud and Corruption Department) are to investigate 383 Câmaras (councils) and Juntas de Freguesia (parish councils) for corruption. If you read Portuguese, here is the link below:

http://www.correiomanha.pt/noticia.asp? ... al=21&p=94

I think the PJ could have quite a large task on their hand.

thanks bruxi
… not sure I fully understand what all this means, but it seems the PJ are saying they are to investigate 383 camaras & juntas! That’s every council in the country isn’t it? So they are not singling out anybody then?
My man on the ground says the PJ are as corrupt as the councillors! and this announcement is nothing but hot air …… on International Anti-Corruption Day.
what do you think?

All a red herring?

Anonymous wrote:All a red herring?

hmmm… the plot thickens


ps. my above post was edited to add a rolling-eyed emoticon

Anonymous wrote:All a red herring?

No not this time matey they are deadly serious.

N.R.

Serious about judging themselves? You cannot be serious

I don't know exactly how many councils there are in Portugal and I am too tired to look it up now but I wouldn't have thought there were a lot more than that? Does seem a lot doesn't it?

Not sure what it entails, as the newspaper article was very brief.

I have been told by someone, who used to work as a translator in the courts here and in the EU, that the PJ are a very good force and worlds away from say the GNR. He told me that they only take on well qualified people. Who knows? I would like to think they are finally getting a grip of things here because a lot of eyes are now on Portugal to do something about it but unless they steam in and clean out all the endemic corruption, I don't see the point. It is useless just to scratch the surface with this. It needs to be tackled all the way through, from top to bottom.

As Transparency International says: corruption ruins lives. Economically, corruption leads to the depletion of national wealth. It keeps countries poor.

Hi Guest,

See below.
n.r.