Imogen CalderwoodPRIME Minister Mariano Rajoy has apologised for the first time for his party members’ involvement in Spain’s widespread corruption scandals.
Following the arrest of 51 politicians, bankers and construction workers yesterday – many of which were PP politicians – Rajoy has further pledged to do more to sweep corruption out of Spanish politics.
Despite almost continual judicial investigations against party members for the three years since the PP came to power, this is the first time the prime minister has explicitly apologised.
“I apologise in the name of the PP to all Spaniards for having appointed people to positions who weren’t worthy of them and who seem to have taken advantage of them,” Rajoy told Spain’s upper parliamentary house, the Senate.
“We are going to continue increasing the range of anti-corruption measures until we ensure that anyone in a public post in this country thinks twice before being tempted to become corrupt.”
The apology comes just the day after 51 people were arrested over alleged payments-for-favours schemes, to secure public contracts.
Several PP mayors and Francisco Granados, former deputy president of the Madrid region under Esperanza Aguirre, were among those arrested.
Granados stepped down in February when it was revealed he had millions of euros stashed in a Swiss bank account.
Rajoy should now resign as he appointed many of these people. He is even implicated himself.
It’s incredulous, not just the level of corruption, but how much of it is linked to the PP government now in power. Yet, the government is still in place and nobody resigns!
My gut feeling tells me a coup has not already taken place simply because there are not enough Spanish troops to carry it out.
Trying to unite the country by increasing its hostility towards Gibraltar has not being enough.
Indirectly, this will strengthen the will of the Catalans to hold its unofficial referendum and weaken the PP’s ability to stop it.
Spain seems to be, at the moment, a magnified version of the Titanic yet they do hold a seat in the UN security council.
To sum up. Rajoy, pot, kettle, black.
Rajoy has some cheek. He is the leader of possibly the most corrupt government in Europe, and is totally unrepentant. Basically this is a huge f*&% you to the people of Spain.
Rajoy and members of the PP most of whom are his buddies, run a club which watches each others backs, receive bungs from each other allegedly, and have still got their dishonest jobs with huge pay packets and perks, not one prosecuted and jailed yet.
How many ordinary Spaniards would simply like a job even with normal pay terms?
Probably another reason why so many young Spanish as well as expats are leaving such a corrupt State to find work abroad.
Cue the whole Spanish property industry, needs regulation to give it any credibility, it’s buyer beware. A pig just flew over.
These criminals are the ones talking to you about ,,the rule of law” while stealing billions from the spanish people.
PP = ORGANISED CRIME GANG
Oh dear , I wonder if this means the harassment of Gibraltar will be cranked up to divert the nations attention from this and more bad news yet to be made public .
Impeachment and jail time is due for Rajoy himself. Unfortunately we all know the Spanish electorate does not have the balls to rid itself of this gang of what I can only describe as criminals.
its endemic and the electorate are effectivly disenfranchised.