PM denies slush fund payments

MARIANO RAJOY has denied allegations that he knew of a secret party slush fund and that he received payments from it.

The Spanish prime minister was responding to allegations that he received under-the-table payments from the secret fund made by the former Partido Popular (PP) treasurer Luis Barcenas.

“I didn’t know about (the slush fund) and didn’t receive (money),” he told Spanish TV station Telecinco in an interview on Monday. “I can assure you that neither I nor the party leaders that I know had even the faintest idea about his (slush fund).”

Barcenas, currently out on bail in a separate corruption investigation, reiterated statements he had made at an earlier date that he was in charge of the party slush fund and made payments to top party officials, including the current prime minister.

Rajoy told Telecinco that he understands why people were asking questions given the number of high-profile corruption cases involving Spanish politicians.