January 31, 2013 (TSR) – The Spanish Royal household has said it will continue to maintain the secretary for Princess Cristina and her sister Princess Elena, in his post despite him being implicated in the “Noos” corruption case.
Carlos Garcia Revenga, the secretary, will remain in his post at least until he gives testimony to the judge in charge of the case in February, informed the Royal household in a communique.
The “Noos” case is a presumed corruption scandal which broke into the headlines in November 2011 when the King’s son-in-law, Inaki Urgargarin, the Duke of Palma de Mallorca, was accused to diverting public funds to his own benefit through the Noos Institute, which was managed by his partner, Diego Torres, who is also a defendant in the case.
Despite this, sources from the Royal residence of the Palacio de la Zarzuela, have indicated that Garcia Revenga has not offered to resign, while adding the judge has not specified any charges against the Princesses’ secretary.
“For this reason the Royal Household understands that the fact his declaration is to be made in quality as someone involved in the case does not carry an accusation which could justify immediate measures to be taken. Rather it obeys the need to ensure a greater guarantee of his right to a defense.”
Garcia Revenga, who has been secretary to the princesses since 1993, was the Treasurer of the Noos Institute. His name figure in some of the mails filtered to the press by Urgangarin’s ex-partner Diego Torres, although Garcia Revenga has said on various occasions that he never acted in the name of the Royal household.
Meanwhile Judge Jose Castro has accused Urdargarin and Torres to use the Noos Institute as a way of acting illegally with the aim of earning money in a fraudulent manner, at the expense of the Community of the Balearic Islands and the Autonomous Community of Valencia, hiding behind the Institute’s veneer of being a non- profit organization.
The Judge has placed bail of civil responsibility of 8.1 million euros and has given the defendants five days to present said bail or risk having an embargo placed on their assets.
Finally the Judge has said that in his position as the husband of the Infanta Cristiana, the youngest daughter of King Juan Carlos, Urdargarin, who will appear before the Judge on Feb. 23, used “psychological pressure derived from his relationship with the Royal family,” and that this was “used intentionally to overcome any resistance,” from the authorities. The Spanish media reports that Princess Cristina is upset by the fact that her advisor and secretary, Garcia Revenga, has been implicated in the case and by everything related to the Noos trial.
Source: Xinhua
