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Passos Coelho criticized by former Portuguese PM

Xinhua, March 6, 2015 Adjust font size:

Portuguese former prime minister Jose Socrates criticized current Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho on Thursday over his allegations regarding tax evasions.

Socrates accused Passos Coelho, in a letter sent to local newspapers TSF and Diario De Noticias, of "moral poverty" and said the prime minister's declarations on Tuesday were "desperate."

Passos Coelho allegedly committed tax evasion between 1999 and 2004, but defended himself on Tuesday at the closing session of a political meeting of his Social Democratic Party, saying he was "ready to face political debate before the general elections." He also alluded to Socrates, according to local media, saying he didn't' use politics "to get rich."

Passos Coelho has admitted he had a Social Security debt but said he did not use his position at his advantage and said he has now paid off around 4 million euros (4.4 million U.S. dollars). He said he was never notified of his debt and only became aware of his debt in 2012.

Socrates, who was detained in November in a tax fraud and money laundering investigation and is currently in preventive detention but denies the allegations, also accused the prime minister of attempting to condition the results of the next general elections.

Passos Coelho came under fire by opposition parties last Sunday, with the Socialist Party demanding a "full explanation" on behalf of the prime minister and the Communist Party saying that his "excuse" was "lame." Endit