The latest news on Portugal. Portugal's former Prime Minister José Sócrates has appeared in court on Thursday as part of a long-awaited corruption trial, marking a dramatic return of a case once thought closed. Here's what he said before entering the building.
"Four years later, the state forces me to come to court again to respond to exactly the same charges. The investigating judge, four years ago, considered that none of the charges were substantiated, not a single one. And he also considered them to be completely time-barred."
The charges have resurfaced after a judicial review, despite his defense arguing procedural abuse and expired deadlines. Sócrates, who governed during the financial crisis, continues to deny all allegations related to money laundering, bribery, and fraud.