The Portuguese police searched several ministries and the official residence of Prime Minister Costa. It’s about suspected corruption in lithium and hydrogen projects.
According to media reports, corruption investigators in Portugal searched several ministries and the official residence of Prime Minister António Costa. Costa’s chief of staff, Vítor Escária, is said to have been arrested. The head of government’s press office confirmed to the Lusa news agency that a search had been carried out in the office of Costa’s chief of staff, but did not want to comment on the “action of the judiciary”. According to a spokesman, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa spoke briefly with Costa about the events.
According to a report in the newspaper “Publico”, around 140 police officers were involved. The ministries for the environment and infrastructure were also searched. The Ministry of the Environment confirmed the searches, but did not provide any information about the reason for the investigation.
Corruption in lithium and hydrogen projects?
According to Portuguese media reports, the searches are part of an investigation that focuses in particular on suspicion of influence peddling and corruption in contracts for the production of so-called green hydrogen and the mining of lithium. Green hydrogen is produced using electricity from renewable energies. Lithium is used to make batteries and is therefore essential for the energy transition.