Spanish Government to Pursue Legal Action Over Leaked Messages
Government officials announce intentions to investigate unauthorized sharing of private correspondence involving Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
The Spanish government has confirmed it will take "legal action" regarding the unauthorized disclosure of private messages between Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and former minister José Luis Ábalos.
On Tuesday, Félix Bolaños, Minister of the Presidency, Justice, and Relations with the Courts, announced that the government is committed to clarifying the origins of the leak, which was initially reported by El Mundo.
Bolaños and government spokesperson Pilar Alegría refrained from attributing the leak to any particular individual or organization, including Ábalos or the Civil Guard.
Instead, both emphasized the severity of the situation, characterizing the release of private communications as highly concerning, while downplaying the substantive content of the messages, labeling them "intranscendent" and asserting that they do not implicate the Prime Minister in any illegal or politically questionable behavior.
Bolaños described the leak as a "very serious" issue, suggesting that, given the context, there appear to be no limits to the attacks against Sánchez.
He refrained from determining the specific nature of the legal actions, mentioning only that a "reasonable timeframe" exists for justice to take its course.
Given the ongoing investigations by the Supreme Court and the National Court, it remains unclear which judicial body will take responsibility for the case.
Furthermore, the current legal standing of the leaked communications has not been definitively established, and it is possible that the Prosecutor's Office may initiate action.
The government clarified that legal measures would be directed at those responsible for the leak rather than El Mundo itself.
According to Bolaños, the crime against the privacy of the President continues, but would not be considered a crime if the person responsible for the leak were one of the parties involved in the conversations, such as Ábalos.
As a parallel, the government cited the case involving the Attorney General, who is under investigation for revealing secrets connected to Isabel Díaz Ayuso’s partner.
In that scenario, the inquiry originated from a complaint asserting a breach of fundamental rights.
Alegría reinforced the gravity of publishing private conversations, asserting that it constitutes an "attack on the right to privacy" of the Prime Minister.
She emphasized that the communications in question are unrelated to any ongoing judicial procedures.
Furthermore, she remarked on the desire for the rule of law to function appropriately in the face of such serious events.
While not explicitly blaming anyone or making direct comparisons, Alegría criticized the opposition party, the Popular Party (PP), for its handling of the leaked messages.
She characterized the content as "intranscendent and out of context," referencing a benign instance of a birthday greeting.
She asserted that the PP aims to utilize these messages to continue a history of hostile opposition over the last seven years, noting that such actions have been ongoing since 2018. Alegría underscored the government's commitment to its political agenda, rejecting any notion that the PP's confrontational tactics would distract the government from its priorities.
She highlighted positive economic growth as evidence of the government’s ongoing transformation efforts.
On Tuesday, Félix Bolaños, Minister of the Presidency, Justice, and Relations with the Courts, announced that the government is committed to clarifying the origins of the leak, which was initially reported by El Mundo.
Bolaños and government spokesperson Pilar Alegría refrained from attributing the leak to any particular individual or organization, including Ábalos or the Civil Guard.
Instead, both emphasized the severity of the situation, characterizing the release of private communications as highly concerning, while downplaying the substantive content of the messages, labeling them "intranscendent" and asserting that they do not implicate the Prime Minister in any illegal or politically questionable behavior.
Bolaños described the leak as a "very serious" issue, suggesting that, given the context, there appear to be no limits to the attacks against Sánchez.
He refrained from determining the specific nature of the legal actions, mentioning only that a "reasonable timeframe" exists for justice to take its course.
Given the ongoing investigations by the Supreme Court and the National Court, it remains unclear which judicial body will take responsibility for the case.
Furthermore, the current legal standing of the leaked communications has not been definitively established, and it is possible that the Prosecutor's Office may initiate action.
The government clarified that legal measures would be directed at those responsible for the leak rather than El Mundo itself.
According to Bolaños, the crime against the privacy of the President continues, but would not be considered a crime if the person responsible for the leak were one of the parties involved in the conversations, such as Ábalos.
As a parallel, the government cited the case involving the Attorney General, who is under investigation for revealing secrets connected to Isabel Díaz Ayuso’s partner.
In that scenario, the inquiry originated from a complaint asserting a breach of fundamental rights.
Alegría reinforced the gravity of publishing private conversations, asserting that it constitutes an "attack on the right to privacy" of the Prime Minister.
She emphasized that the communications in question are unrelated to any ongoing judicial procedures.
Furthermore, she remarked on the desire for the rule of law to function appropriately in the face of such serious events.
While not explicitly blaming anyone or making direct comparisons, Alegría criticized the opposition party, the Popular Party (PP), for its handling of the leaked messages.
She characterized the content as "intranscendent and out of context," referencing a benign instance of a birthday greeting.
She asserted that the PP aims to utilize these messages to continue a history of hostile opposition over the last seven years, noting that such actions have been ongoing since 2018. Alegría underscored the government's commitment to its political agenda, rejecting any notion that the PP's confrontational tactics would distract the government from its priorities.
She highlighted positive economic growth as evidence of the government’s ongoing transformation efforts.
Translation:
Translated by AI
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