The Spanish Public Prosecution Office accuses the governing Catalan Nationalist Party CDC of corruption

Barcelona (ACN).- After a four-year investigation, the Public Prosecution Office – which is under the jurisdiction of the Spanish Ministry of Justice – is accusing Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya (CDC), the main force within the two-party coalition Convergència i Unió (CiU) which runs the Catalan Government, of having received €6.6 million in “illegal commission” from the construction company Ferrovial in exchange for allocation of public work. On Friday, the Attorney’s Office issued a 37-page report accusing CDC of participating in the so-called Cas Palau (Palau case). The report states the Director of the Palau de la Música Foundation allegedly stole €18 million and the Catalan political party profited from donations made by private companies to the musical institution. CDC immediately denied the accusations in a press release, stating they have never received hidden money, not the party or its think-tank, the CatDem Foundation. The Public Prosecutor has asked the judge to stop investigating and start the trial. Now the judge will have to decide the way to proceed.

CDC denies the accusations

The Catalan nationalist party, which is led by the Catalan President Artur Mas, stated in a press release that the accusation made by the Public Prosecutor Office is “false”. CDC emphasised that they “have never obtained any profit from the Palau [de la Música] or from the institutions that are linked to it”. In addition, the governing party lamented the fact that the Attorney’s Office is basing the accusation “on speculations and mere conjecture” and that “it is not backed by any evidence that proves the existence of allocations [of public works] done in an irregular or illicit way”. CDC strongly denies any “criminal” relationship between the party and the company Ferrovial. Furthermore, they lamented that they have known about the report through the press and they noted that no trial has been set yet neither a sentence has been issued.

The Public Prosecutor Office accuses CDC of having earned €6.6 million in an “illicit” way

The Attorney’s Office has issued its final report on the so-called Cas Palau and has asked the judge to end the four-year investigation and start the trial. The Public Prosecution Office believes that Fèlix Millet and Jordi Montull stole €18 million from the Palau de la Música Catalana when they were managing the musical institution and auditorium, which is one of the most important in Barcelona. €7 million would have gone to the Millet family according to the report and €1.3 million to Montull. The destination of the remaining €9 million is still unknown. Furthermore, the Public Prosecutor accused CDC of having earned €6.6 million in “illicit commission” paid by Ferrovial through private donations to the Palau de la Música Foundation in exchange for the allocation of public works in the early 2000s. The Public Prosecutor accuses CDC of having allocated 4 specific public works throughout Catalonia to Ferrovial while it was running the Catalan Government. The public works would be worth €1,646.7 million, including the construction of an underground line. The Attorney’s Office has also involved the party’s think-tank the CatDem Foundation, for being an active part in the operations.