Wife of Spanish Prime Minister Begonia Gomez to stand trial in corruption case
Kyiv • UNN
The investigating judge ruled that Gomez must surrender her passport and not leave Spain. The woman is suspected of using her status as the prime minister's wife to obtain contracts.
Begoña Gómez, the wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, will face trial in a corruption case. The investigation was initiated by far-right groups opposed to Sánchez's Socialist Party. Additionally, she has already been banned from leaving the country, reports UNN citing Reuters.
Details
Begoña Gómez is suspected of possibly using her status as the prime minister's wife to obtain work contracts. Gómez herself denies any wrongdoing.
The case against her was initiated by far-right groups opposed to Sánchez's Socialist Party.
Investigating judge Juan Carlos Peinado ruled that Gómez must surrender her passport, not leave Spanish territory, and appear in court twice a month.
According to Reuters, this case is one of several corruption cases already in court or approaching trial that are creating political pressure on Sánchez. The Spanish prime minister himself is not a subject of these proceedings. He has stated that the opening of such proceedings is part of a campaign aimed at removing him from office.
How Begoña Gómez reacted to the accusations
The newspaper El País, citing sources close to Gómez, reported that she plans to appeal the conditions imposed by the judge, particularly the decision to confiscate her passport.
Spain's Socialist Party, after the court's decision, stated that Gómez has allegedly become the target of political and judicial persecution.
Begoña has been subjected to judicial and political persecution for two years already. Today's developments are another step in this process
Context
Several close allies of Sánchez, including the third-ranking figure in the Socialist Party and a former transport minister, are under investigation in cases involving alleged kickbacks.
These cases relate to public works, oil and gas contracts, as well as the procurement of masks during the pandemic. They deny their guilt.
Separately, Spain's High Court announced an investigation into former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. He is suspected of possibly leading a network that profited from lobbying for third-party interests before state bodies, including the airline Plus Ultra. Zapatero also denies these allegations.
Recall
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that he intends to remain in office until the 2027 parliamentary elections, despite the increase in corruption scandals that have engulfed his Socialist Party.