Spanish PM takes stand as witness at graft trial
SAN FERNANDO DE HENARES, Spain: Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy took the stand yesterday as a witness in a major graft trial involving former members of his conservative Popular Party, a first in the country.
“I never dealt with party financial matters,” Rajoy told the courthouse on the outskirts of Madrid during the proceedings broadcast live on Spanish television.
The trial centres on a vast kickback scheme that allegedly saw companies shower former PP lawmakers and civil servants with bribes in exchange for contracts.
About 30 protesters demonstrated noisily behind yellow metal barriers as the car bringing Rajoy to court pulled into the garage in San Fernando de Henares. They blew whistles and held up banners that read ‘Justice’ and ‘Make the PP illegal’.
It is the first time that a serving prime minister has testified in a criminal case.
Two former premiers – Felipe Gonzalez, an ex- Socialist leader, and Adolfo Suarez, prime minister during Spain’s transition to democracy – appeared in court in separate trials but they were no longer in office.
Rajoy, 62, had asked to testify by video- conference, saying he was too busy to appear in person, but Spain’s High Court ordered him to come. Rajoy is not accused of anything himself but was asked to testify because as the party’s chief since 2004 – and a high-ranking member before that – he would have knowledge of how the PP operated.
The prime minister did not sit in the traditional witness stand in front of the judges, but instead on the elevated platform where they preside.
He testily answered questions about his roles in the party posed by a lawyer from the ADADE lawyers’ association, which is a party in the case and is close to the main opposition Socialists.
The court appearance is a major embarrassment for Rajoy, who has sought to distance himself from a series of corruption scandals that have for years hounded his party, in power since 2011.
The affair and other graft scandals contributed to the PP losing its absolute majority in 2015 elections. Analysts said Rajoy’s court appearance would remind voters of the corruption scandals which are preventing the party from reaping the benefits the improving Spanish economy.
“Corruption issues will continue to put a ceiling on the PP’s electoral aspirations,” Antonio Barroso, deputy director of research at Teneo Intelligence said.
“While Rajoy should be benefiting from the strong economic rebound, the ruling party has been losing support in the polls recently.”