VARIOUS private prosecutors in the long-running Gürtel corruption trial involving the PP have called for Rajoy to stand in the dock.
The hearing started yesterday (Tuesday) against the ringleader, business tycoon Francisco Correa (pictured), former PP treasurer and Senator Luis Bárcenas, and several others.
Ex-health minister Ana Mato and the PP itself stand accused of benefiting financially from the bribery racket, and five former ministers of one-time PP president of Spain, José María Aznar, will stand trial for their involvement in the first few years of the racket, between 1999 and 2005.
A total of 37 people have been charged, and it took the prosecution an hour and a quarter just to read out the sentences it has recommended for all of them individually and for each and every one of the crimes they stood accused of.
The European Democratic Solicitors' Association, ADADE, has reiterated its request for acting Spanish president Mariano Rajoy to declare as a witness, based upon his being party leader and later president whilst the corruption racket was ongoing.
At present, Correa's solicitor has denied that he is trying to plea-bargain with the anti-corruption prosecution, despite his client having 'cooperated' with the court by depositing the requested €2.2 million bail bond in the last few days.
Bárcenas' defence has called for the Gürtel judge to order the prosecution to clarify whether there was 'any type of collusion' between four of the 37 accused parties, since they suspect the fact that the order in which the accused parties were due to testify, with Correa expected to go first, had been changed due to 'deals' struck with some of them to reduce their sentences.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com