Socialist leader NOT SURPRISED by Sócrates' enprisonment.

Henrique Neto

Ex-social deputy defends a complete clean-up in the social party, 

as well as a clean cut rupture with the past.

Former socialist deputy, Henrique Neto was not surprised 

with the arrest  of the foremer Priminister, José Sócrates. 

He said to the newspaper "i" 

"For years we expected that to happen. 

The evidence was more than many"

Neto regrets that many socialists 

"close their their eyes in an irrational reaction" 

in the case involving the former leader of the Socialists.

"The reactions from some socialists are irrational.

There  are many socialists who do not want to know what happened, 

They close their eyes because they are morally and 

ethically tied to these misfortunes"

"António Costa must make a break with the past

otherwise he will not have credibility in the country. 

If he does not clean-up the party with great clarity

and determination, he will suffer from the toxic fall-out

of the Sócrates case".

On the eve of the Socialist Congress, 

where a new national management will be chosen, 

Henrique Neto believes that this is 

"one of the most decisive moments"

in the history of the party. 

"Either the newly elected leaders understand this fact

and make the best of the opportunity to change their policies

and presnt new ideas - and to have new ideas, you need 

new leaders not committed to the sordid past - 

or create a kind of a merger with the dinosaurs of the past 

and half a dozens new faces, 

causing the party to have no credibility in the country.

This is a great moment for António Costa", 

says Henrique Neto, 

considered to be one of the most critical 

socialist of the Sócrates regime.