The PP will wait for the judicial decision to take more measures against Fernández Díaz, already suspended from militancy in 2021

The Statutes of the PP include expulsion in the event of a conviction for a crime and very serious offenses for corruption

MADRID, 27 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The PP will wait for a judicial decision in the so-called 'Kitchen case' to take more measures against the former Minister of the Interior Jorge Fernández Díaz, who was already provisionally suspended from militancy in July 2021 after the judge decided to prosecute him for that investigation related to parapolice espionage to the ex-treasurer of the PP Luis Bárcenas, according to sources from the party leadership.

Last Friday, the National Court finally shelved the investigation into 'Operation Kitchen', ruling out investigating the alleged participation of the former general secretary of the party, María Dolores de Cospedal.

This decision by the Criminal Chamber of the National Court coincides with the presentation by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor of his indictment, in which he asks to sentence Fernández Díaz to 15 years in prison for 'Kitchen', an operation that would have born in his department and it cannot be ruled out that "people from different levels" participated in it.

Sources from the leadership of the PP have confirmed this Monday that the formation will wait for a judicial decision on this case to take new measures against Fernández Díaz, who was already provisionally suspended from militancy in July 2021.

After several days with information about Fernández Díaz, sources from the PP leadership have said they are "very calm" and have shown themselves to be "implacable" against corruption.

In this sense, Alberto Núñez Feijóo's team has indicated that they are waiting for Justice to act if someone "has used power for issues that are not legitimate", according to the same sources.

In July 2021, the PP led by Pablo Casado then informed the former minister of this provisional suspension of membership in application of the party's Statutes. A few months earlier, in September 2020, when Fernández Díaz was charged with the 'Kitchen case, the party already opened an information file on him.

The Statutes of the PP indicate that the loss of affiliate status will occur when "being convicted of a crime by final judicial sentence following a report from the Rights and Guarantees Committee and taking into account the seriousness of the crime."

In addition, article 16 of these internal rules of the PP indicate that a "very serious" infraction is committed by those who incur "in any form of corruption in the exercise of public office" or who have "conviction for a crime that by its nature or by circumstances in which it was committed is considered incompatible with the obligations and ethical duties established in these Statutes", among other assumptions.

Later, the party specifies that very serious infractions will be sanctioned in the following terms: "suspension of affiliation for a period of time between four and six years; disqualification from holding positions within the party or on behalf of it for the same period of time; expulsion from the party". In addition, it clarifies that the first and second sanctions are not "exclusive of each other."