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The 1,687 page-thick font of conservative People’s Party corruption scandal bears a sober name: Judgment 20/2018. Belt. Part 1 (1999-2005). Neverless, it has shaken Spain’s policy last week: to a total of 351 years in prison, National court condemned 29 of 37 defendants, including corruption, embezzlement, falsification of documents, ft and membership of a criminal Association.
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The two main defendants are entrepreneur Francisco Correa and former treasurer of conservative People’s party Luis Bárcenas. Correa is scheduled for 51 years, Bárcenas for 33 years in prison. The opposition parties see verdict as “end of legislature”. PSOE chief Pedro Sánchez of Socialists wants to overthrow Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy now with a vote. Already on Friday, country could have a new government-or talk about elections.
Indeed, verdict is a turning point in an affair that Spain has been dealing with for almost ten years. Since 2009, media have been reporting new details from corrupt network almost in monthly rhythm: payments from construction companies to municipalities and regional party headquarters, luxury gifts for political favors – and up to now unresolved extra wages for senior Conservative politicians. In center stands entrepreneur Francisco Correa, whose German-translated surname of belt affair gave her name. He has squandered public money on a network of event companies, issued false invoices, bribed willing officials and politicians. According to calculations by Spanish media, network should have beiseitegeschafft more than one billion euros.
Extra wages for party top
Already last year, Supreme Court in Valencia condemned Galician PP politician Pablo Crespo, entrepreneur Correa and his number two, Álvaro Pérez, to 13 years in prison. But this time judges condemned not only individuals, but also imposed a symbolic penalty of 245,000 euros against conservative People’s Party itself. The National court considers it to be proven that Partido Popular (PP) has been actively involved in network and has operated an “efficient system of institutional corruption”.
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This is a slap in face – also for Spanish Prime minister, who has always dismissed scandals as ‘ long-barred individual cases ‘. He failed to make a clean-slate when he took office – and now looks forward to an uncertain future. “For first time in history of our country, a party was convicted,” says Fernando Garea, who first researched case for daily El País and n for online newspaper El Confidencial. “This is at least sensational. According to today’s valid law, this would even have criminal consequences for party. “
Particularly disastrous for Spanish Prime Minister is his close relationship with man who managed 2008 and 2009 Treasury of pp. Luis Bárcenas, former treasurer, has not only transferred millions of funds to his own accounts in Switzerland. He is also said to be responsible for double bookkeeping of People’s Party – and thus for a system of extra wages for party upper, over which he meticulously recorded record.
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The Spanish judiciary treats both cases separately. In terms of content, however, y are closely linked: proceeds from corrupt belt network probably also flowed into accounts of Chiefs, as salary surcharges, which Treasurer handed out discreetly in envelopes. The newspaper El País had published 2013 Bárcenas ‘ handwritten notes. You will also find name “M. Rajoy”. The Spanish prime minister, who had to testify last summer as a witness in belt process, has always denied existence of double bookkeeping and extra money. As a “little credible” national court now referred to its statements.