Advertisement

King's daughter waits on court call-up appeal

AFP
AFP - [email protected]
King's daughter waits on court call-up appeal
The Infanta Cristina has been asked to appear in court to answer questions about her knowledge of the business dealings of a sports foundation run by her husband. Photo: Rafa Rivas/AFP

Judges say they will wait until May 20th before announcing whether King Juan Carlos's daughter Cristina will have to testify in court as part of a corruption case involving her husband Iñani Urdangarin.

Advertisement

Public prosecutors lodged the appeal with the court on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca on April 3, arguing that the princess was being unfairly summoned to testify because of her royal rank, and that proof against her was "non-existent".

Cristina, 47, last week also lodged a petition on her own behalf appealing the summons issued by a judge who has named her a suspect in the graft investigation.

The probe is examining whether Cristina's husband, former Olympic handball player Iñaki Urdangarin, and his former business partner Diego Torres, embezzled  €6 million ($8 million) in public funds meant for sports events.

The syphoned-off money was allegedly placed in the non-profit Nóos Institute, which Urdangarin chaired from 2004 to 2006 and of which Cristina was a board member.

Cristina is suspected by the court of being aware of the institute's business operations, based on evidence including e-mails provided by Torres.

She is also suspected of allowing her husband to exploit her prestige as seventh in line to the throne.

The princess's corruption hearing, originally scheduled for April 27, has been postponed pending the outcome of the summons appeal.

Cristina's entanglement in the probe has plunged Spain's monarchy into an unprecedented crisis. It is the first time a direct relative of the king has been called to appear in a court on suspicion of wrongdoing.

There is speculation of a possible abdication by 75-year-old King Juan Carlos, amid an all-time low in the level of public support for the monarchy.

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also