A report from Spain's Treasury indicates that the consulting firm founded by former Finance Minister Cristóbal Montoro received nearly one million euros from gas companies in payments disguised partly as success fees between 2011 and 2020.
A report from Spain's Treasury has revealed that Equipo Económico, a consulting firm co-founded by former Finance Minister Cristóbal Montoro, received nearly one million euros from gas companies between 2011 and 2020. These payments were largely disguised as 'success fees' and coincided with legislative reforms that were beneficial to the gas sector. This raises serious questions about potential conflicts of interest and ethical standards in governmental practices during Montoro's tenure as a minister.
Montoro served as Minister of Finance under different administrations from 2000 to 2004 and again from 2011 to 2018, leading various reforms that may have provided undue advantages to the gas companies involved. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office has forwarded this report to a judge in Tarragona, who is investigating whether Montoro's legislative actions were influenced by these payments, suggesting that there might be deeper implications regarding corruption and governance in Spain.
The Treasury is now requesting that the court gather more information related to accounts associated with Montoro, his consulting firm, and their spouses. With the information currently available, the Treasury suggests that the payments made to Equipo Económico may indeed be linked to legislative changes favoring the gas companies, prompting greater scrutiny of previous administrations and potentially leading to legal repercussions for those involved.
