Madrid, April 22, 2024 (AFP)
An ex-ministerial aide, who is the key suspect in a graft scandal that has embarrassed Spain's government, exercised his right to silence Monday when facing a parliamentary inquiry.
Koldo Garcia appeared before a Senate committee in connection with a kickbacks scandal linked to the procurement of face masks during the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the time, he was a close adviser to then transport minister Jose Luis Abalos, a key member of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialist party.
The Senate upper house is dominated by the right-wing opposition Popular Party (PP) and Monday's hearing was the first time Garcia was to have spoken publicly about what has become known as "the Koldo affair".
Bombarded by questions, Garcia invoked his "right not to testify" because a legal inquiry into the scandal has started. But he told the committee his conscience was "absolutely clear".
Garcia said he had been found guilty even before going on trial. "In the media, I have already been hung, drawn and quartered," he said.
Arrested on February 21, Garcia is suspected of being a central player in a scheme that let a small, previously unknown firm -- Soluciones de Gestion (Management Solutions) -- obtain contracts worth 53 million euros ($57.5 million) to supply masks to public authorities at the start of the pandemic.
Prosecutors say the contracts allegedly generated kickbacks worth 9.5 million euros.
The scandal is particularly sensitive for Sanchez, who took power in 2018 following a huge corruption scandal that brought down Spain's PP government, and has prided himself on the integrity and transparency of his administration.
Earlier this year, PP head Alberto Nunez Feijoo said Sanchez knew about the affair, saying he "covered it up", later suggesting the prime minister might have been involved, without offering any proof.

Sumber : AFP