Vítor Escária, the former chief of staff of António Costa – and still an arguido in a case investigating suspicions of corruption that led to the fall of the last PS government – is about to start a new job as director of the ‘Instituto Superior de Gestão’ (Superior Institute of Management).
The announcement came with no mention of Mr Escária’s political past.
It was given dead-pan by the Institute which highlighted its new director’s professional experience in both education and the economy – no mention of his time as an advisor to former PS leader José Sócrates, now on trial on suspicions of corruption.
It equally by-passed the fact that searches of his office, in the context of Operation Influencer, threw up over €75,000 in cash stashed in Mr Escária’s private office.
The announcement simply referred to the “Doctorate in Economy from York University (United Kingdom), Masters in Economy and Finance, and Degree in Economy at ISEG” as well as his having written “several scientific articles in scientific magazines”.
According to the Institute, Vítor Escária “supervised several master’s dissertations and several doctoral theses, with specialisation areas in labour market economics and economic policy”.
The fact that it was the discovery of so much cash that prompted António Costa’s resignation seems to have been best left unsaid. So too, the fact that Mr Escária is also a suspect in a spin off inquiry over suspicions of violating state secrets. This because also found in his office in São Bento (the prime minister’s official residence) was a pen-drive identifying hundreds of agents working in SIS (the country’s secret service), SIED (service of strategic and defence information), PJ (judicial police) and AT (tax authority).
Adding to these inconvenient details is the fact that Mr Escária’s bid to have his cash returned was refused by a judge earlier this year, on the basis – according to Expresso – that “there is evidence of the crime of undue receipt of benefits” (even though Mr Escária insists the money was income from work he did in Angola).
Operation Influencer is still ‘open’ and without any decisions.
António Costa is now in a top job in Europe.
The institute of superior management closes its announcement about the arrival of Professor Doctor Vítor Escária saying: “With this new leadership, we continue to construct a future of innovation, knowledge and opportunities for all”.
Source material: SIC Notícias
