The judge handling the investigation into the business affairs of royal son-in-law Iñaki Urdangarin on Friday accepted a petition by the prosecutor’s office to suspend the subpoena of Urdangarin’s wife Princess Cristina to answer questions on the case in court.
Prosecutor Pedro Horrach argued that the justice system should first rule on an appeal by the prosecutor’s office against the implication of the infanta.
Earlier this week, Judge José Castro summonsed Prince Cristina to appear before him on April 27 to clarify her role as a director of the non-profit Nóos Institute, through which her husband Urdangarin allegedly siphoned off millions in public funds to private firms, including Aizoon, which is jointly owned by the princess and her husband.
In his judgment, Horrach argued that it was “discriminatory” to cite the infanta as a suspect on the case based on the evidence that had been gathered in the course of the investigation to date. He said “absolutely nothing” had emerged in the probe to reverse the previous decision not to name her as a suspect in the case.
In order to justify calling off the citation of Princess Cristina, Horrach referred to testimony by Urdangarin’s former partner at Nóos, Diego Torres, on the infanta’s role in the organization. Torres cited things such as her accompanying him and Urdangarin to view a property the Nóos Institute was considering moving its headquarters to.
Horrach said Torres’ testimony had “zero criminal relevance.” The judge also argued that it had not been demonstrated that the personal secretary to the royal daughters, Carlos García Revenga, who also worked for the Nóos Institute, knew that Urdangarin was receiving “privileged treatment” from public administrations.
Torres has been gradually feeding the judge investigating case with emails that include exchanges between the royal couple on Nóos’ business.
Vocabulary:
the prosecutor's office: la oficina del fiscal , la fiscalía
subpoena: citación
rule on: resolver, decidir
appeal: recurso, apelación
summonsed: citado, convocado
non-profit: sin ánimo de lucro
allegedly: supuestamente
siphon off: desviar fondos
jointly: conjuntamente
probe: investigación, averiguación
call off: cancelar, suspender
In my opinion, I support the subpoena suspension of the of Princess Cristina, as I think she did not have anything to do with all the bad things her husband did. All the problems they are having is because the aren't telling the truth and every time more and more people are involved, when I think Urdangarin and Diego Torres are guilty of everything. I can't understand how have they stolen so much money, if they are already rich, this shows the avarice that some people can get to have.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, avarice is huge problem.
DeleteIn my opinion, I think if the Infanta Cristina and the royal family, were aware of the illegal actions of the Noos Institute, justice should be equal with them than with the other citizens, forgetting if they are celebrities or royalty. Obviously the main culprits of all this are Iñaki Urdangarin and Diego Torres, who showed how far he can reach the level of greed of people, diverting money for good works to keep them. I can't understand such people should pay for what they have done they and the other rich people and politicians or corrupt.
ReplyDeletePrincipally, I think that everything bad that has made Iñaki Urdangarin together with his partner Torres, does not have anything to see with the Infanta Cristina, since I believe that she has not done anything. Because of it I agree with the suspension of the citation of the Infanta Cristina. Nevertheless, if there is discovered that the Infanta Cristina if pipe something that to see with all the thefts, would have to judge her as a Spanish citizen who is, not as princess. Finally, I think that Iñaki and Torres are bad persons!!
ReplyDeleteI think that if they still have no charges against Infanta Cristina,there is no reason of judging her. So I agree with the suspension of the case. Her husband is the one who stole money in this critical economical situation in which Spain is living. All of these facts are giving more reasons to people to believe that maybe the monarchy isn't necessary. The royal family should be very aware with the consequences of their actions because they are the emblems of Spain. Their image is very important, especially nowadays that we are going through a very very tough time.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I don't support the subpoena suspension of the Princess Cristina, I think that the prosecutor only gives stupid excuses, because I think that if Torres' wife is imputed, Princess also has to, and I think it's discriminatory not to impute the Princess only because she's the king's daughter. I think that the Princess must know what her husband was doing, where was all that money coming from?
ReplyDeleteSo I think she must be investigates in order to know the truth, if she is guilty or not.
In my view the subpoena suspension of the Infanta Cristina is not an obvious thing, she must be treated as the rest of the population and I think that is impossible to a wife don't know what is doing your husband for a long time. Furthermore this case is all the time involving more and more rich people, it's a clear case of greed/moron.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I am agree with the subpoena suspension of the of Princess Cristina, because they still no having charges against her. Furthermore the growing number of people who is against the monarchy is another reason to be considered in making this decision, because if the royal family had been involved we would not be talking about just another case of corruption, it would be a fact that might change the Spanish political system.
ReplyDeleteIt's incredible... I think that Urdangarin won 3 milion of euros every year and the Infanta Cristina 600.000. And I ask me, why were they stealing more? I've no doubt that Cristina, his wife, know perfectly what happened, what her husband was doing, and possibly the king, Juan Carlos, too. People are very exhausted of this situations. The very fact that's implicated the royal family only harm the problem. More and more, a lot of people begin to ask for the III Republic's proclamation, and me too.
ReplyDeleteI think that it's correct to suspend the subpoena of the Infanta Cristina because she looks innocent but if she and her husband have a little bit of dignity, they will tell all what has happened recently. It's incredible! If they were poor then we would understand but they aren't...
ReplyDeleteI consider that the calling off the subpoena of Princess Cristina is an evidence that democracy can not be compatible with the monarchy, because the monarchy is a vestige of feudalism: an unfair world where the novles occupy the positions due descent and not by merit.
ReplyDeleteFrom my point of view, I think that the suspension of the subpoena is a bad idea because I think that the princess Cristina has the same guilt that her husband since I'm sure that she knew all on what her husband was working, so, she should be judged as all citizens and haven't any privileges for being the daughter's King.
ReplyDeletetesting
ReplyDeleteThe way I see it, it's true that Princess Cristina shouldn't be accused if there's not a single evidence against her, provided that the opposite is not demonstrated. Nevertheless, if Urdangarin really stole all the money he's thought to have stolen, Princess Cristina must have been aware of it as she is his wife. That's why I think judges should have thought a bit more over it before suspending the subpoena of the infanta on her husband case.
ReplyDeleteI can't figure out why some people think they'd be better off doing this kind of immoral things.
It is true that if they still have no charges against Infanta Cristina,there is no reason of judging her but on the other hand Diego Torres whife was imputed and jusdjed from the first moment. It is really interesting think than Infanta Cristina didn’t know nothing abut the irregularities of her husband. Double his wealth in a short period of time. A wealthy person with no need, robbing the people this is the rality of Iñaki Urdangarín, Infanta Cristina and all the people that are involved.
ReplyDelete