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Updated 10.45am
THE SISTER OF Spain’s King Felipe VI, Cristina, will become the first member of the royal family ever to stand in the dock after a judge ordered her to be put on trial for alleged tax fraud.
The historic decision stemmed from four years of investigations that plunged the royal family into crisis and contributed to the abdication of King Juan Carlos in June.
A court on the island of Majorca ordered Cristina, 49, to stand trial on two counts of accessory to tax fraud in connection with her husband’s business affairs, in a written ruling seen by AFP.
She is accused of cooperating in tax evasion by her husband, the former Olympic handball player Inaki Urdangarin. He is accused of embezzling and laundering millions of euros in public funds.
Cristina’s lawyers say she is innocent of any wrongdoing.
Cristina Federica de Borbon y Grecia is the youngest daughter of Juan Carlos and sixth in line to the throne. She married Urdangarin in 1997 in a glittering ceremony in Barcelona.
The case is a big headache for Felipe who took the throne on June 19 promising an “honest and transparent monarchy”.
Public prosecutors had called on the court to shelve the case, saying there was a lack of evidence against Cristina and hinting that investigators were out to get the princess.
But investigating magistrate Jose Castro at the court in Palma de Majorca upheld accusations brought by Manos Limpias, a litigious far-right pressure group.
As well as Cristina and Urdangarin, the court on Monday ordered 15 other suspects to stand trial.
Urdangarin is accused along with a former business partner of creaming off six million euros ($8 million) in public funds from contracts awarded to Noos, a charitable foundation.
Cristina sat on the board of Noos and Urdangarin was its chairman.
Investigators suspect that a separate company jointly owned by the couple, Aizoon, served as a front for laundering embezzled money.
Questioned in court by Castro in February, Cristina said she had simply trusted her husband and had no knowledge of his business affairs.
Mother-of-four
A mother of four with a master’s degree from New York University, Cristina was once considered untouchable as a member of the royal family.
But the so-called Noos affair fanned public anger against the monarchy and the ruling class during the recent years of economic hardship in Spain.
The scandal soured the reign of Felipe’s father Juan Carlos, who gave up the throne after 39 years so his son could freshen up the image of the monarchy.
Investigations into the Noos affair were launched in 2010. Urdangarin and Cristina have been excluded from royal activities since 2011 when he was first named as a suspect in the probe.
Originally published 9.34am
NCSE and Department can dress it up but in reality cuts in resource hours are happening and once again its the children in most need are been hit.
Why can’t government come up with more imaginative ways of cuts then hitting those most in need. One idea no pension for TDs until they reach 67 like they rest of the PAYE sector. Pigs will fly first thou
They’ll want the Firemen to put out more fires with less water next…
How many more would they have if Wallace and co paid their lawful dues
So, let me get this correct, “the NCSE confirmed that demand has increased so teaching hours will be reduced again”. I am so sick and tired of this Government kicking the most vulnerable in society just because they don’t have a strong enough voice or their vote isn’t influential enough. Surely any kid with a learning difficulty will benefit from extra hours or more one-on-one interaction with an SNA. This is not just a benefit for the child with special needs but for the whole class. Of course our Government is too narrow minded or just don’t care about this section of society. There are so many other ways savings can be made in the education system, this is just beneath contempt and morally repugnant.
“Lies, damned lies, and statistics” is a phrase describing the persuasive power of numbers, particularly the use of statistics to bolster weak arguments. Horrific spin is all I can say to Ruairi Quinn & the NCSE.
Ahhh sure..once the poor ole bondhlders get paid, that’s the main thing.
Great to see our caring and Morally bankrupt leaders are prepared to let a vulnerable child sink into the depts as the class moves on and they are left to fend for themselves ,it really is a tragedy to watch as this happens in a classroom ,and they are now telling parents of children that they are not special needs and therefor no help is given and in most cases this decision is taken by a faceless bureaucrat who has never met the child
, but on the bright side at least our Political millionaires are still the best paid in the world ( with expenses ) and we paid 3.4Million euros to their advisors ( if they are that highly paid they must be good, and if they are that good why do they need so many advisors ) they retire with a wad of cash and a massive pension , the bondholders are looked after , we have no accountability in public life and wrong doers walk around with impunity , life in the banana republic is certainly good ,,,,,,,,,,,,, if you are in the elite class
Some spin doctor wrote this as this is not true of the school up by me… Typical the children suffer for the bondholders!
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