Portugal's interior minister resigns amid corruption scandalNovember 17, 2014 - 10:20 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Portugal's interior minister has resigned following an investigation into alleged corruption linked to the allocation of residence permits. Miguel Macedo said he was not implicated in the scandal but was resigning to preserve the credibility of state institutions. Police arrested 11 people, including the head of the country's immigration service, last week. Portugal provides "golden visas" to foreigners willing to invest. The main beneficiaries of the fast-track permits have been Chinese citizens who have been investing heavily in Portuguese property. Police said the 11 people detained were suspected of corruption, money-laundering, influence-peddling and embezzlement. Macedo told state television he had "had no personal responsibility" in the case. "This is a decision exclusively based on personal and political convictions," he said. "I leave to defend the government and the state authority and the credibility of the institutions." Searches were carried out last week at several locations, including the interior ministry. Manuel Palos, head of the country's immigration service, has been questioned by a judge on suspicion of accepting bribes, his lawyer said. Meanwhile, Portugal's government has defended the visa scheme, which in two years has brought in over 1bn euros ($1.3bn) in investment. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Armenia designates flood-hit communities as disaster areas The emergency situation was created by floods caused by heavy rains in Armenia’s north on May 25-26. 17 bridges collapse as a result of floods in Armenia As a result of floods in Armenia’s northern Lori and Tavush provinces, 17 bridges, including five large ones, have collapsed. Armenia: Top cleric to retain title as he bids to become interim PM Galstanyan said earlier that the interim government would be tasked with stopping the “destruction of our homeland”. Ex-mayor of Karabakh capital arrested in Yerevan Ex-mayor of the Nagorno-Karabakh city of Stepanakert David Sargsyan has been arrested for 20 days. |