A judge has
formalized charges against Princess Cristina of Spain, the sister of the
newly-crowned King Felipe VI. The charges relate to a tax fraud and money
laundering case implicating the princess' husband.
Deutsche Welle, 25 June 2014
The Spanish
judge upheld corruption charges against Cristina de Borbon and her husband at
the Palma de Mallorca court on Wednesday.
The rulings
come less than a week after Felipe took the Spanish throne, promising an
"honest and transparent" monarchy, following the abdication of
76-year-old King Juan Carlos.
In a blow
to the royal family, investigative magistrate Jose Castro ruled that Cristina
would remain a suspect in the case, and should stand trial along with her
husband, former Olympic handball player Inaki Urdangarin.
Urdangarin
is under investigation for embezzling millions of euros in public funds, and
using his connections to win public contracts through his non-profit
organization Noos Foundation.
Cristina is
accused of complicity in these business dealings. She sat on the organization's
board and Urdangarin was its chairman. Neither Cristina nor her husband has
been formally charged.
The judge's
ruling on Wednesday is open to appeal, but in the Spanish legal system the
decision is just a few administrative steps away from opening trial
proceedings. In court appearances, Cristina and her husband have denied any
wrongdoing.
String of
royal scandals
Spain's
royal family has lost favor in recent years, following a series of scandals
that include the Noos case. King Juan Carlos' luxury elephant hunting trip in
Botswana in 2012, at the height of Spain's financial crisis, sparked protests
across the country.
Polls show
the King's recent abdication in favor of his 46-year-old son has given the
monarchy a boost. Felipe has distanced himself from his sister and the ongoing
fraud case.
Princess
Cristina did not attend the coronation, and has been barred from official royal
events.
A final
decision on whether she will be put on trial will only be made after all
appeals and arguments from the prosecutors and defendants have been considered.
If the
judge's rulings are upheld, however, Cristina would be the first direct
relation of the Spanish monarch in history to stand trial as a criminal
defendant.
nm/kms (Reuters, AFP, AP)
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