European Court of Human Rights to Rule on Salgado's Complaint Against Bank of Portugal

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is set to announce its decision today, December 3rd, regarding the complaint filed by Ricardo Salgado against the Bank of Portugal (BdP). The former banker claims that public statements made by the then-governor of the BdP, Carlos Costa, compromised his right to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence during an administrative process conducted by the regulatory authority.

Salgado, the former leader of Banco Espírito Santo (BES), argues that Costa's statements, made during the ongoing administrative proceedings, created a public perception of guilt, violating his right to be heard by an independent and impartial tribunal. He contends that these remarks seriously undermined the objectivity of the judgment and negatively influenced his situation in the case.

Additionally, the impact of these statements on public opinion and Salgado’s image is significant, especially given the intense scrutiny surrounding the circumstances that led to the collapse of BES.

The administrative process was initiated by the Bank of Portugal following the collapse of BES in 2014, where Salgado faced accusations of various irregularities, including mismanagement and violations of banking supervision rules. This process led to sanctions imposed by the BdP, which Salgado has consistently contested.