Court drops subpoena of daughter of Spanish king
Source: Agencies |
May 8, 2013, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A Spanish court yesterday suspended corruption charges brought against King Juan Carlos's daughter, saying there was not sufficient evidence that Princess Cristina had been an accomplice in an embezzlement case involving her husband.
When Cristina, 47, was charged last month, it was the first time a member of the royal family had been the subject of criminal proceedings since the monarchy was reinstated in the 1970s.
Yesterday's ruling by the High Court on the island of Mallorca overturned an earlier judgment by the examining magistrate of a lower court, although the charges could be reinstated if new evidence is found, the High Court said.
The case has deepened public discontent with the royal family and with a growing number of cases of graft among the rich and powerful while ordinary Spaniards struggle with 27 percent unemployment and a long-running recession.
Ricardo Sixto, member of parliament for the opposition United Left party, said: "If it had been any other citizen, the charges would have held and she would have had to appear in court."
But the ruling People's Party - three of whose former treasurers have been charged with crimes ranging from bribery to money laundering and tax evasion - said previously that the charges against the princess were bad for Spain's image.
PP spokesman Alfonso Alonso expressed relief yesterday that they had been dropped, saying: "It's good news all round."
The lower court magistrate, Jose Castro, said there was evidence the princess had aided and abetted with her husband Inaki Urdangarin accused of using his connections to win public contracts to stage events on Mallorca and elsewhere in Spain.
When Cristina, 47, was charged last month, it was the first time a member of the royal family had been the subject of criminal proceedings since the monarchy was reinstated in the 1970s.
Yesterday's ruling by the High Court on the island of Mallorca overturned an earlier judgment by the examining magistrate of a lower court, although the charges could be reinstated if new evidence is found, the High Court said.
The case has deepened public discontent with the royal family and with a growing number of cases of graft among the rich and powerful while ordinary Spaniards struggle with 27 percent unemployment and a long-running recession.
Ricardo Sixto, member of parliament for the opposition United Left party, said: "If it had been any other citizen, the charges would have held and she would have had to appear in court."
But the ruling People's Party - three of whose former treasurers have been charged with crimes ranging from bribery to money laundering and tax evasion - said previously that the charges against the princess were bad for Spain's image.
PP spokesman Alfonso Alonso expressed relief yesterday that they had been dropped, saying: "It's good news all round."
The lower court magistrate, Jose Castro, said there was evidence the princess had aided and abetted with her husband Inaki Urdangarin accused of using his connections to win public contracts to stage events on Mallorca and elsewhere in Spain.
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