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| Spain’s Leader Rejects Calls for His Resignation | Spain’s Leader Rejects Calls for His Resignation |
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| MADRID — Embattled Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy made a rare appearance before lawmakers Thursday morning, fending off demands for his resignation for systemic corruption in his ruling party and declaring he erred by trusting an accountant now jailed for millions of euros hidden in a Swiss bank account. | MADRID — Embattled Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy made a rare appearance before lawmakers Thursday morning, fending off demands for his resignation for systemic corruption in his ruling party and declaring he erred by trusting an accountant now jailed for millions of euros hidden in a Swiss bank account. |
| His hourlong speech in the crowded Senate was designed to counter allegations that a former party treasurer, Luis Bárcenas, had presided over secret accounts for the governing Popular Party, handing out envelopes of cash to politicians from clandestine donations. The accountant has been in prison since June amid an investigation into foreign bank accounts in Switzerland and other countries that totaled at least 47 million euros, or $61.4 million. | |
| “I was wrong,” Mr. Rajoy, 58, said. “I regret this, but that’s it. I made a mistake by maintaining my confidence in someone we now know did not deserve it.” He blamed the accountant’s latest accusations about secret accounts on a calculated legal strategy, adding that in court “witnesses will not be able to lie before a judge,” and denying the existence of double party accounts. | |
| It was the first time Mr. Rajoy has admitted any error since revelations in January that the treasurer hid money in Swiss bank accounts. As the investigation unfolded, Mr. Barcenas left his post in 2009 but continued receiving a six-figure salary from the party. His version of events has varied, but he has told a judge he collected millions in cash donations from construction magnates and distributed them to senior party figures, including Mr. Rajoy. | It was the first time Mr. Rajoy has admitted any error since revelations in January that the treasurer hid money in Swiss bank accounts. As the investigation unfolded, Mr. Barcenas left his post in 2009 but continued receiving a six-figure salary from the party. His version of events has varied, but he has told a judge he collected millions in cash donations from construction magnates and distributed them to senior party figures, including Mr. Rajoy. |
| Mr. Rajoy’s appearance came in the same week that the secretary general of his governing party, María Dolores de Cospedal, was ordered by the court to answer questions about allegations that she received secret bonuses from the jailed ex-treasurer to augment her salary. The court, which is examining the accountant’s elaborate finances, has also demanded testimony on Aug. 14 by two other ex-secretaries general. | |
| In his combative speech, Mr. Rajoy denied that corruption was systemic in his party but was a reflection of the acts of individuals. He said he had decided to face Parliament on the issue to prevent damage to Spain’s image as its struggling economy is showing some signs of improvement, like increasing tourism. | |
| For four years, he said, he believed in the party accountant’s innocence until the moment of the discovery of secret bank accounts in Switzerland where authorities have said Spanish investigators delayed pressing for the information. | For four years, he said, he believed in the party accountant’s innocence until the moment of the discovery of secret bank accounts in Switzerland where authorities have said Spanish investigators delayed pressing for the information. |
| “This has been my role in this story,” Mr. Rajoy said. “Did I make a mistake to trust an inadequate person? Yes.” | “This has been my role in this story,” Mr. Rajoy said. “Did I make a mistake to trust an inadequate person? Yes.” |
| But opposition politicians were not swayed. The leader of the country’s main opposition Socialist Party, Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, said Mr. Rajoy’s party had won elections over 20 years through a system of illegal financing. | But opposition politicians were not swayed. The leader of the country’s main opposition Socialist Party, Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, said Mr. Rajoy’s party had won elections over 20 years through a system of illegal financing. |
| “You must go, Mr. Rajoy,” he said. | “You must go, Mr. Rajoy,” he said. |