Sócrates pessimistic in €205,000 action against the State over delays in Marquês case
Former prime minister José Sócrates has admitted to having little hope in the outcome of the administrative action against the State. Proceedings began this Thursday in Lisbon.
Sócrates in court seeking compensation from State after 12 years of proceedings
José Sócrates stated on Thursday, 14 May, that he holds little hope regarding the outcome of the administrative action in which he is claiming compensation from the State for the duration of the Operação Marquês proceedings. According to dn.pt, the sum claimed amounts to €205,000 — although the former government minister has publicly referred to a minimum figure of €50,000.
"My confidence in Portuguese Justice does not permit great optimism, but here we are," Sócrates declared upon arrival at the Administrative Court of the Lisbon Circuit, where the action, filed nine years ago, began to be heard today.
The initial petition, dated 6 February 2017, centres on the alleged violation by the Public Prosecutor's Office of deadlines for concluding the inquiry, compromising the defendant's right to a judicial decision within a reasonable timeframe.
"What is absolutely astonishing to me is that it is not clear that over all these years, 12 years, four of them were spent in inquiry, without any responsibility on my part for that timeframe," emphasised the former head of Government.
Sócrates added that he also bore no responsibility for the three and a half years of the preliminary phase, concluding that "more than 11 are the sole responsibility of the judicial State" of the 12 years total of the proceedings.
The inquiry by the Central Department of Investigation and Criminal Action (DCIAP) was opened in July 2013 and charges were filed in October 2017. Following an extended preliminary phase and successive appeals, the trial of the former socialist prime minister and 20 other defendants on corruption and other charges began on 3 July 2025 at the Lisbon Central Criminal Court, with dozens of witnesses still to be heard.
In April 2026, Sócrates accused Justice of having scheduled the sessions of this administrative action for this week out of "fear of European jurisdiction", alluding to another action he filed in 2025 against the Portuguese State before European bodies. The Superior Council of Administrative and Fiscal Courts rejected the accusation, guaranteeing that the proceedings "followed a regular sequence of acts, with intervals that, as a rule, did not exceed three months".
The Administrative and Fiscal Courts previously justified the delays with a context of "strong procedural pressure", resulting from the exponential growth in filings and priority given to urgent cases, such as those brought against AIMA.
Source: Público