Portugal's PM... and a £4m corruption row over giant shopping mall built by British firm
The Earl and Countess of Wessex have been caught up in an alleged corruption scandal surrounding a discount shopping complex in Portugal.
It was built by a British property firm Freeport, now being investigated over bribery allegations, and was opened by the Royal couple in September 2004.
The Serious Fraud Office in London is probing claims that four million euros were transferred to banks in Portugal to facilitate the deal.
The inquiry has engulfed several British businessmen and Portugal's Prime Minister Jose Socrates, who has denied taking bribes from Freeport.
At its heart is the claim that in 2002 Mr Socrates, then an environment minister, waived restrictions to grant Freeport a licence to build the complex on protected land.
But Mr Socrates insists he has never misused his ministerial position.
The shopping mall is sited across the Tagus river from Lisbon and includes 200 'factory outlets' selling mainly cut-price designer clothes.
Reports in Portugal claim SFO detectives, who have been working closely with Portuguese police, are investigating 15 people linked to the development, including Mr Socrates and several Britons associated with Freeport.
It was built by a British property firm Freeport, now being investigated over bribery allegations, and was opened by the Royal couple in September 2004.
The Serious Fraud Office in London is probing claims that four million euros were transferred to banks in Portugal to facilitate the deal.
The inquiry has engulfed several British businessmen and Portugal's Prime Minister Jose Socrates, who has denied taking bribes from Freeport.
At its heart is the claim that in 2002 Mr Socrates, then an environment minister, waived restrictions to grant Freeport a licence to build the complex on protected land.
But Mr Socrates insists he has never misused his ministerial position.
The shopping mall is sited across the Tagus river from Lisbon and includes 200 'factory outlets' selling mainly cut-price designer clothes.
Reports in Portugal claim SFO detectives, who have been working closely with Portuguese police, are investigating 15 people linked to the development, including Mr Socrates and several Britons associated with Freeport.
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