What is wrong with politics in Spain?

[Perikles]

Brains behind 'ghost airport' jailed for 4 years

Carlos Fabra, the man behind Spain's infamous 'ghost airport' in Castellón, will spend four years in prison on charges of tax fraud

Fabra is said to have ruled Castellón province like his own private fiefdom and is the man behind the white elephant that is Castellón airport, which cost €150 million ($200 million), but which has yet to receive a single flight.

The former politician  also claims to have won the lottery seven times in the last ten years. Those wins bagged him €2.2 million, he said.

The Local

That last sentence is the key one. These arseholes are so blatant in their corruption because they think everybody is too stupid to notice. It is the arrogance that is so staggering.

[Janet]

"But some experts argue fake lottery winnings are a convenient way to launder money." Hmmm ... wasn't it Santa Cruz mayor Zerolo who always won the local Christmas lottery? Every year ...

[El Profesor]

Twisted justice.
This is a four year sentence, of which maybe half might be served.
He and his wife passed 3.2 million euros through their joint account over a five year period. They are sentenced for not paying 700,000 euros tax on this money.

So one assumes that if they had paid the tax, everything would be alright.

I'd take two years in the nick with those conditions anyday.

[Perikles]

Twisted justice.
This is a four year sentence, of which maybe half might be served.
He and his wife passed 3.2 million euros through their joint account over a five year period.

This just shows the difference between the merely rich and the politically powerful:

A waste management tycoon who fooled Spain's tax office with fake invoices has been handed a 35-year jail sentence

He cheated the tax people out of less money than Carlos Fabra and gets 35 years

How insane is that? 

[Perikles]

There is no end to the fraud amongst the rich and powerful. Now, Pujol, ex-president of Catalunya, admits to keeping vast amounts of money abroad for decades. This is a serious blow to the Catalunians who want independence, because he was the leading light with some kind of moral highground.

He also has 6 children, five of whom are suspected of taking personal advantage of their connection with the ex-president in securing lucrative contracts of various kinds.

I'm shocked. Shocked

[El Profesor]

I'm shocked. Shocked

And I'm not at all surprised.

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

And I'm with the Prof.

[Perikles]

Hmmm. The sarcasm in my post didn't come through very well.

[Nova]

I got it, you quoted Casablanca 

[Perikles]

I'm still going on about Pujol, ex-president of Catalunya. This article describes the financial agreement he has with his ex-party. The cost of supporting these ex-politicians is unbelievable.

Jordi Pujol recibe una pensión de 86.418 euros al año por haber ejercido la presencia de la Generalitat entre 1980 y 2003, gracias a la ley que él mismo aprobó ocho meses antes de finalizar su mandato. Según esta, los expresidentes catalanes tienen derecho a cobrar el 80% del salario durante un periodo equivalente a la mitad de su mandato, con un mínimo de cuatro años. A partir de los 65 años, perciben el 60% de forma vitalicia.

La cantidad es mayor a los salarios anuales de los expresidentes del Gobierno central —cerca de 75.000 euros— y que los 78.175 que recibirá Mariano Rajoy este año. Pujol cobró el 80% durante una década y ahora, el 60%. Además, cuenta con una responsable de su oficina y dos secretarios que le costarán a la Administración un mínimo de 114.517 euros este 2014. El local donde se ubica la oficina tiene 441 metros cuadrados en el exclusivo Paseo de Gràcia. El alquiler anual asciende a 191.119 euros. A esto se suman los gastos de oficina y un coche oficial con chófer. Si falleciera, su mujer percibiría el 50% de la pensión. Los mismos derechos tienen los otros dos expresidentes José Montilla y Pasqual Maragall.

In short: Pujol receives a pension of 86,418 euros for having been president of Catalunya from 1980 to 2003, thanks to a law which he himself passed eight months before his retirement  .........
In addition, there are the costs of an office manager and 2 secretaries which cost 114.517 euros in 2014... the office has 441 square metres in an exclusive district, rent 191,119 euros per year, ... official car and chauffeur....
The same rights apply to two other superannuated ex-presidents...

All this for a regional government, expenses for people who have retired, and now admit serious financial fraud. Unbelievable.