Spain's Corruption Probes Raise EU Fund Misuse Fears
Four ongoing corruption probes in Spain have raised concerns about the misuse of EU funds. The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) and the EU's anti-fraud office (OLAF) are monitoring the situation. Spanish centre-right European People's Party (EPP) Secretary-General Dolors Montserrat has questioned the EC over their involvement in safeguarding EU taxpayers' interests.
One probe involves the Prime Minister's brother, David Sánchez, who faces charges of influence-trading, embezzlement, and prevarication. This relates to his €55,000 annual appointment at the Diputación de Badajoz, subsidised by EU agricultural and cohesion funds. Misuse of funds could lead to suspension or recovery of funds from the €163 billion NextGenerationEU recovery package.
Another probe, the Plus Ultra Case, involves a €53 million loan with allegations of irregularities and potential conflicts of interest involving figures close to the government. A third investigation targets former PSOE organisational secretary Santos Cerdán and former transport minister José Luis Ábalos for corruption linked to €400 million in public works contracts, partly funded by EU sources. The fourth case involves allegations of influence-peddling by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's wife, Begoña Gómez, in securing €8.3 million in contracts for entrepreneur Juan Carlos Barrabés.
These probes highlight concerns about the possible misuse of European Union funds in Spain. While Nadia Calviño, President of the European Investment Bank, has not been linked to these scandals, the investigations continue. The outcome could impact the suspension or recovery of funds from the NextGenerationEU recovery package.
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