MUNAR MEETS BAIL BUT GOVERNMENT IS NOT IMPRESSED

PALMA
THE former Speaker of the Balearic Parliament and ex-leader of the Council of Majorca, Maria Antonia Munar, avoided jail yesterday by meeting the 350'000 euros bail set by the judge investigating allegation of electoral fraud and the misappropriation of public funds .

A judge had given her a 12 noon deadline for the bail money which she met yesterday but she still has to pay a 2.5 million “civil liberty bail.” Munar´s lawyer, Gabriel Garcias, said that they would be appealing against both bail demands claiming that they were far too high.
The former leader of the Council of Majorca has said that 14 members of her Majorcan Unionist Party were given jobs at the Video U. TV production company which is now at the centre of the police investigation into the mis-use of public funds.

Meanwhile, the Balearic government said yesterday that the corruption allegations which had been made against Munar and other members of her party were very serious.

MATAS IN COURT ON TUESDAY
Former Balearic leader Jaume Matas will be appearing in court on Tuesday along with his wife her brother and one of his former ministers over allegations that public funds were misused in the construction of the Palma Arena velodrome.

Matas was Balearic leader when Munar was President of the Council of Majorca. At that time the Balearics were governed in coalition by his Partido Popular and her Majorcan Unionist Party. All the recent corruption allegations which have seen senior members of both parties questioned and charged by police relate to that period.

It had been rumoured that Matas might stay clear of the courts on Tuesday claiming that he would be unable to get a fair hearing because of all the media speculation and coverage.

Some of his supporters say that the corruption allegations are politically inspired.
The recent corruption cases have made headline news across Spain. Matas´ hearing on Tuesday will also be given nationwide coverage because apart from being Balearic leader he also served as minister for the Environment in the government of Jose Maria Aznar.

Matas and Munar are the two biggest high profile figures on the island which have been mixed up in the corruption allegations.