The Popular Party has directed its criticisms at former president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, whom it demands clarify whether he was already a "commission agent" when he was in charge of the Government, and urges him to explain why he did not declare the "alleged personal gift" received from Saudi Arabia in 2007. At the same time, the party has asked the current head of the Executive, Pedro Sánchez, if he also "has a safe in Moncloa with the jewels that international leaders gift him."
"Zapatero must explain if he was also a commission agent when he was president of the Government," the PP has stated in a statement, after the former head of the Executive has declared before the judge investigating the 'Plus Ultra case', in which he is listed as an accused, that the jewels located by the Police during a search of his office come from a "gift" from the Saudi Royal House in June 2007.
The PP emphasizes that Zapatero committed to clarifying the origin of the jewels found in his office "in ten days" but that, "three months later and after a judicial request, he has sent a document assuring that they were a 'personal gift' from the king of Saudi Arabia that he received at the Palace of Moncloa."
According to the PP's account, it would be a "gift" that the former president transferred to his office "without informing absolutely anyone." "Now he requests a letter rogatory in Saudi Arabia, but he should immediately explain why he never declared that alleged 'personal gift'. Perhaps because it was a commission like the 1% of the Plus Ultra bailout?" the party has questioned.
In its assessment, the PP maintains that the investigations already indicate that José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero "has acted as a commission agent after leaving the Government" and considers that the determining question now is "to determine if he was also a commission agent when he was president."
"Sánchez must also provide explanations now"
In any case, the PP emphasizes that the responsibility is not limited to Zapatero and argues that Pedro Sánchez "must also provide explanations now" because, in its view, in his "obsessive defense" of the former president "he even claimed that all the presidents of the Government receive gifts."
"Does he also have a safe in La Moncloa with the jewels that international leaders gift him? Sánchez should clarify what gifts he has received during his Presidency and what their fate has been," the party has insisted.
The PP reminds that Sánchez defended Zapatero's jewels claiming that in 2007 "there was no legislation that today does exist" regarding the gifts received by a president. However, the popular party emphasizes that it was Zapatero himself who approved the Code of Good Governance in 2005, which "limited the acceptance of gifts and established that gifts of special value should be incorporated into the State's Heritage." "Zapatero will have to explain why he kept the jewels and Sánchez why he has been acting as his main defender for months," the party has pointed out.
Finally, the PP has ironically noted that it hopes to know "the dates of the campaign events in which they will participate together with other socialist candidates." "Surely the electorate loves to know that the chain (of gold) that unites Zapatero and Sánchez has not been broken despite the progress of the investigations," sources from the formation have pointed out.