FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The decision to bring Gómez before the court and demand his passport be handed over has increased pressure on Sánchez's government, which is already facing several sensitive issues related to corruption...
The Spanish government has sharply criticized the judge who ordered the trial of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's wife on corruption charges, accusing her of making "inexplicable" and illegal decisions.
Judge Juan Carlos Peinado, who has been leading the criminal investigation into Begoña Gómez for two years, caused a stir in Spanish politics over the weekend after deciding to put her on trial on charges that she used her relationship with the prime minister to advance her academic career. Gómez has denied all charges.
"I believe that Peinado has made decisions that are inexplicable and contrary to the law ," Spanish Justice Minister Félix Bolaños said on Monday.
The decision to bring Gómez to court and demand his passport has increased pressure on Sánchez's government, which is already grappling with several sensitive corruption-related issues. The prime minister's brother, David Sánchez, is awaiting a court ruling after being tried on charges related to influence peddling. He also denies the charges.
Two former close aides to Sánchez also face corruption charges. On Monday, Spain's Supreme Court sentenced one of them, former Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos, to 24 years in prison for crimes involving bribery and embezzlement related to the purchase of protective masks during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sánchez's government has distanced itself from Ábalos and has not attempted to defend her politically. However, the justice minister insisted that Gómez is innocent and described the case against her as "anomalous."
"When we are dealing with decisions that deviate from the law, it is the system itself that must correct them ," Bolaños told Cadena SER radio.
A year ago, Sánchez accused some judges of “doing politics.” Meanwhile, former Socialist Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, a close ally of Sánchez, is also being investigated in a corruption case. Zapatero denies any wrongdoing.
As an investigating judge, Peinado has been diligently pursuing the Gómez case. However, he is due to retire in September, when he turns 72, and if the case goes to trial, he will no longer have a role in it.
Despite the government's criticism, Peinado notified Gómez on Monday that she must surrender her passport by Wednesday evening.
In 2024, he took the unusual step of going to Moncloa Palace, the official residence and office of the Spanish prime minister, to question Pedro Sánchez. The prime minister refused to testify, citing his legal right not to testify against his wife.
Gómez is accused of several criminal offenses, including influence peddling, embezzlement of public funds and corruption in the private sector. The charges relate to her work at the Complutense University of Madrid, where she is alleged to have used personal connections and public resources – including a state-paid assistant – to advance her professional interests.
The case began after a complaint filed by an activist organization with ties to the far right, based mainly on articles and media reports.
"An attempt is being made to overthrow the government through unfounded lawsuits filed by far-right activists ," Bolaños declared.
On Monday, the body responsible for overseeing judges in Spain requested a review of Peinado's order to send Gómez to trial, citing some of his comments regarding the police.
To justify the request to surrender the passport, Peinado wrote that the police officers responsible for Gómez's security "could assist, on their own initiative or at the order of their superiors, in actions that would facilitate her departure, thus preventing her from being brought to justice."
The General Judicial Council of Spain, the institution that administers the judicial system, requested the launch of a verification to determine whether these statements could constitute serious disciplinary violations and lack of respect for law enforcement.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska addressed the judicial council on Saturday, describing the judge's statements as "a matter of great importance."
Spain's highest courts have previously overturned several of Peinado's decisions. Among them was the attempt to try Gómez by jury, an unusual procedure in the Spanish judicial system.
The Provincial Court of Madrid found that Peinado's request for a jury trial suffered from a "lack of reasoning" and criticized him for failing to explain the legal bases of the decisions made.
Juan Carlos Peinado, born in 1954, joined the judiciary relatively late. During the 1980s he served as a senior official in the local administration in several municipalities near Madrid. He was only appointed a judge in 1994, through a special procedure reserved for professionals with legal experience.
Pedro Sánchez's allies have also pointed out that the judge's daughter, Patricia Peinado, is a councilor for the Popular Party, the main conservative opposition force in Spain, in a municipality near Madrid.
Lini një Përgjigje