Spanish paper says PM allegedly received illicit paymentsJuly 9, 2013 - 21:43 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A Spanish newspaper has published what it alleges are documents showing Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and other top politicians received illicit payments, according to BBC News. El Mundo said it had original ledger entries handwritten by the former treasurer of the governing Popular Party (PP), Luis Barcenas. It said it had delivered the documents to the High Court. Rajoy and other PP members have repeatedly denied that they received illegal payments. Another Spanish paper, El Pais, published similar documents earlier this year. It is claimed that Barcenas ran a PP slush fund that took donations from construction magnates and distributed them to party leaders in cash. Barcenas is in custody facing trial for corruption and tax fraud. He denies the allegations. However, in an interview published in El Mundo on Sunday, July 7, Barcenas for the first time admitted that the handwriting in the ledger was his. He added that the photocopies originally published by El Pais were a fraction of the documents he had in his possession. El Mundo said the documents it had seen showed that Rajoy received payments in 1997, 1998 and 1999 when he was a minister in the government of Jose Maria Aznar. They included, it said, two payments to Rajoy of 2.1m pesetas (12,600 euros) in 1998. The alleged payments are said to have been undeclared and untaxed. Spanish opposition leader Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba in February called on Mariano Rajoy to resign over the allegations. "The Luis Barcenas originals published by El Mundo today pulverize the alibi used until now by the PP to deny the authenticity of its ex-treasurer's papers," El Mundo said. The PP responded with a statement saying: "The Popular Party reiterates that it does not know of the notes nor their content, and it does not in any way recognize them as the accounts of this political organization." This is another twist in possibly the most important corruption scandal to hit modern Spanish politics, the BBC says. The allegations have caused anger among Spaniards already suffering a deep and long recession and biting austerity cuts. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. Armenia, Russia discuss life extension of Metsamor nuclear plant Issues regarding the extension of life of the 2nd power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant were discussed in Yerevan. Armenians stage more campaigns against territorial concessions to Azerbaijan Protesters blocked more roads across Armenia on Friday, April 26 in continuing attempts to scuttle territorial concessions to Azerbaijan. |