Spanish PM Rejects Resignation Calls

Spain’s prime minister says he will not give in to “blackmail”, amid calls for him to resign over alleged links to a suspect in a payments scandal.

Mariano Rajoy said he would fulfill the mandate given by the Spanish people.

The calls came after a newspaper published text messages he allegedly sent to the suspect, Luis Barcenas, ex-treasurer of his Popular Party (PP).

Meanwhile Mr Barcenas repeated in court allegations that Mr Rajoy received payments from a slush fund.

He said Mr Rajoy secretly received money between 2008 and 2010.

An El Mundo report on Monday said Mr Rajoy had sent text messages of support to Mr Barcenas, who is in custody facing trial for corruption and tax fraud. He denies the allegations.

Mr Rajoy, too, denies any wrongdoing, though he did not deny sending the text messages.

He said they showed his commitment to democracy and to allowing the justice system to do its work without political interference.

On Sunday the leader of the country’s main opposition Socialist Party, Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, called for Mr Rajoy’s immediate resignation.

BBC

Posted by Editor on July 15, 2013. Filed under WORLD. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry