Ernesto Ekaizer: "Spain asked Liechtenstein to investigate Pujol"

On Wednesday morning Ernesto Ekaizer, journalist from the "El País" newspaper, told "El matí de Catalunya Ràdio" that the news from Liechtenstein of the investigation into Pujol is part of a campaign by the Interior Ministry of Jorge Fernández Díaz, as it is Spain that has requested the information. The journalist added that the State is using the news to smokescreen the charges against former Spanish minister Ángel Acebes.

On Monica Terribas' morning radio show, Ekaizer explained that an electronic statement issued by Interpol said that the investigation was open, but clarified that the reason was that "Spain had requested it". They added that "once the information is requested", the case passed into the hands of a judge, and therefore was reported officially as an investigation. The Interior Ministry requested information from Liechtenstein's Financial Intelligence Unit on Artur Mas, Jordi Pujol Ferrussola, and Jordi Pujol i Soley, but in the latest statements only the name of Jordi Pujol i Soley appeared, according to the journalist.

The independence movement, a "criminal problem" for Rajoy

Ekaizer labelled the events a "political maneuver", because "the Spanish police have presented the investigation as if it were independent". The journalist added that "this is the kind of State that the PP is building", in which "there is a department dedicated to manipulating public opinion, in the Pujol affair, as well as judicial opinion". According to Ekaizer, however, "one thing is the alleged crimes of Jordi Pujol i Soley, which have yet to be proven; the political situation in Catalonia is something altogether different. The Interior Minister and Rajoy have decided that the issue of the Catalan independence movement is a criminal problem, and as such has deactivated the political approach and entrusted the case to the department of criminal policy, which is the Interior Ministry".

In addition, Ekaizer said that the "parasitic news item" was spread yesterday by the Efe news agency, "on the very day that there was a significant leap forward in the case led by Judge Ruz against Ángel Acebes" in order to overshadow the charges brought against the PP's ex-secretary general and Aznar era minister.

Jordi Pujol: "I don't have bank accounts in Liechtenstein, nor have I ever had any"

Ex-president denied this in a statement to Telecinco (a privately-owned Spanish TV station), the day after it emerged that a judge in Liechtenstein has opened an investigation into money laundering.

The ex-president of the Generalitat, Jordi Pujol (CiU), denied on Wednesday that he had accounts in Liechtenstein, either currently or in the past, one day after the news emerged that a judge in that country had opened an investigation into money laundering.

"I do not have accounts in Liechtenstein, nor have I ever had any. That is all I'm willing to say", affirmed Jordi Pujol to the Telecinco cameras this morning, outside his home on carrer General Mitre in Barcelona city.

The Catalan former president was referring to a report that Interpol had sent to the court in Barcelona that is looking into the origin of his hidden fortune, which revealed that a judge in Liechtenstein has opened a case against Jordi Pujol for money laundering.

Liechtenstein judge Michael Jehle, via Interpol, requested information from Spanish prosecutors about Jordi Pujol's criminal record and any investigations open against him in Spain, for the purpose of preparing a request for an investigatory commission related to money laundering.