MADRID – On Friday, Spain’s attorney-general, Álvaro García Ortíz, who is embroiled in an investigation over allegations of leaking confidential information, will appear alongside King Felipe VI and senior judges at a public ceremony. This event comes amid mounting pressures for García Ortíz to resign from his position, as his ongoing legal issues cast a shadow on the function of the judiciary, reports 24brussels.
García Ortíz faces criticism for allegedly disclosing personal data related to an inquiry into businessman Alberto González Amador, who is associated with Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the leader of Madrid’s Popular Party. The timing of the ceremony, which marks the release of the annual report on the judicial system, has drawn widespread condemnation from legal associations.
Magistrates and prosecutors have collectively urged García Ortíz to abstain from attending the ceremony at the Supreme Court in Madrid, the very institution investigating him. A joint statement from three legal professional associations warned that his attendance would represent “an act of contempt for the basic principles of the rule of law.” Cristina Dexeus, president of Spain’s main Association of Prosecutors, stated that his presence undermines public confidence in the judicial system.
The government continues to back García Ortíz, maintaining his innocence amid allegations. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has expressed “unwavering support” for the attorney-general, while Transport Minister Oscar Puente has characterized the Supreme Court judge overseeing the investigation as “the real opposition” to the government.
This episode is set against a backdrop of ongoing governmental disputes over proposed judicial reforms. The administration is pushing to alter the entry requirements for the judiciary and modify the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s status, raising fears of politicizing judicial procedures.
Judges on alert
One reform under consideration includes revising the notoriously rigorous judicial admission test, transforming one of the two oral exams into a written format. This change could allow over 1,300 substitute judges and prosecutors to bypass standard testing procedures. Critics, including Fernando Portillo, president of Spain’s Independent Judicial Forum, argue such reforms could severely compromise judicial independence.
Justice Minister Félix Bolaños has defended these changes as vital for generating over 2,500 new judicial positions and aligning the Spanish judicial system with “European standards.” However, many in the judiciary remain skeptical of their implications for integrity and independence.
Another significant reform proposal would transition the responsibility for investigating criminal cases from judges to prosecutors, effectively placing Spain’s Judicial Police under the authority of the Public Prosecutor’s Office. This move raises concerns about the independence of high-profile investigations currently handled by the Civil Guard’s top investigative unit (UCO), especially those involving close associates of Sánchez.
Portillo questioned how prosecutors could be shielded from interference from their superiors, particularly in politically sensitive cases. “This may lead to cases being handled not on legal grounds but on the basis of political expediency,” he asserted.
