Begoña Gómez, the wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, appeared before a judge in Madrid on Friday, yet declined to answer questions about corruption and influence peddling accusations in a case that led her husband to consider resigning in April.
Friday’s hearing is part of a preliminary investigation into whether Gómez used her position as the premier’s wife to secure sponsors for a university master’s degree course that she ran.
‘Our position is … that this process is totally groundless,’ her lawyer and former Interior Minister Antonio Camacho told reporters after Gómez had left the tribunal.
‘My client has not testified, not because she has something to hide, but because her attorney recommended her to do so,’ he said.
Gómez was allowed to enter and leave the courthouse through the underground parking, avoiding dozens of reporters outside.
She has not commented publicly on the case, but Sánchez has vehemently denied the accusations against her, saying they were baseless and orchestrated by right-wing and far-right political foes.
In late April, Sánchez took a five-day break from his duties to weigh whether to resign after the court opened the investigation, but ultimately decided to stay on. ALSO READ: Pedro Sánchez announces his decision to continue as Spanish prime minister.
The case was brought through a unique Spanish legal instrument, the ‘people’s prosecutor’, which allows private individuals to bring criminal complaints against third parties. Judges can choose whether or not to act, and not every accusation has led to a judicial investigation.
The complaint against Gómez was filed by Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), an anti-corruption activist group led by Miguel Bernad, a lawyer and politician who has stood as a candidate for a far-right party in European elections.
Far-right party Vox also joined the plaintiff and its lawyer, European lawmaker Jorge Buxadé, told reporters he will ask the investigating magistrate to call Sánchez to testify.
The investigation seeks to evaluate Gómez’s conduct since Sánchez became prime minister in 2018, the court said.
Contracts related to European Union funds will be probed separately by the European Prosecutor.
ALSO READ: Begoña Gómez, wife of Spanish PM, investigated over alleged corruption.
ALSO READ: Spanish prosecutors question credibility of corruption investigation against PM’s wife.
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