Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Turning up the heat

Everyone is feeling hot under the collar in this heat wave - especially the Spanish Prime Minister.

The Spanish newspaper, El Mundo, has published documents that show Mariano Rajoy, was paid from a slush fund whilst he was a minister in the 1990s.

The newspaper says that it handed over the documents, which are claimed to be written by the former PP treasurer Luis Bárcenas, to the High Court on Monday. El Pais made similar allegations in January.

Mr Rajoy is said to have received cash payments of 42,000 euros in 1997 concealed in a cigar box followed by lesser amounts in 1998 and 1999. 

The accounts show that payments were made to other members of the PP but it is the Prime Minister who is understandably in the firing line. The Socialist party are demanding that he answers questions in Parliament about the allegations – something which the PP have refused to do several times since the El Pais articles appeared.

The Barcenas accounts also show that the three Gürtel companies, Special Events, Rialgreen and Orange Market received contracts from the regional PP in Valencia which netted them 2.7 million euros. According to Barcenas accounts, Orange Market was the leading supplier to the PP. The company was headed by El Bigotes who had a close relationship with Ricardo Costa and Francisco Camps (remember the suits).

Although not linked, the PP party in Orihuela are being accused of receiving support for their election campaign in 2007 from Angel Fenoll whose company happened to have the refuse collection contract for the city.

You could begin to wonder whether there are any “straight” politicians in Spain.

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