Bárcenas 'admitted to illegal financing of PP', claims Spanish national newspaper

EX-TREASURER of the PP Luis Bárcenas has allegedly owned up to 'illegal' financing of the party by companies in exchange for preferential treatment, according to the editor of a leading Spanish national daily newspaper.

The normally right-wing broadsheet El Mundo published an article this week by its leader Pedro J Ramírez, who had held a four-hour interview with the former senator just days before the latter was sent to jail based upon the judge's opinion that he was a flight risk.

“Bárcenas explained to me, in the course of a long conversation, that for at least the last 20 years the PP had been financed illegally, receiving donations in cash from construction firms and other business-owners who, in turn, obtained contracts for jobs awarded by government departments led by the party,” Ramírez claimed in his article.

The report details the format, method, aims and extent of the financing by various companies and even names and shames some of those allegedly involved, based upon what Bárcenas is said to have told the editor.

Bárcenas has been remanded in custody without bail since June 27 after judge Pablo Ruz believed there was a risk he may abscond, as a result of his testifying over the 48.2 million euros held in various accounts in the Swiss entities Dresdner Bank and Lombard Odier.

His solicitor has since countered that 'holding money in Swiss bank accounts is not a crime' and insists there is no risk his client would abscond, given that he has cooperated fully with all investigations, attended court each time he was called to testify, and that in all the months the case has been under way he has not attempted to go into hiding.

The defence lawyer also adds that there is no way Bárcenas would try to escape the course of justice since he would be recognised easily anywhere in the world, given that he is 'very distinctive-looking'.

In the meantime, Judge Ruz has imposed a bail bond under civil law of 43-and-a-quarter million euros in respect of his possible liabilities that may arise through the case against him.

Paying this will not get him out of jail, but if he does not do so his assets to the same value may be embargoed as a guarantee.

This is believed to be one of the largest bail bonds awarded in Spanish legal history.