MADRID, Nov 27 (APM) - With little over thirty days to announce the draft of new pricing and reimbursement regulation, Spain’s health minister Ana Mato has resigned after being summoned by the judge in charge of an investigation over corruption.
On Wednesday morning, Mato faced judge Pablo Ruz over allegedly enjoying a number of presents, including family trips, from a corrupt scheme known as 'Gurtel'. Later that day, Ruz announced she will be included in the investigation not as a mere witness but as a beneficiary of the scheme.
Government sources have repeatedly said since the beginning of the investigation last year that Mato’s now ex-husband, Jesús Sepúlveda is the only reason she had been linked to the case.
However, following the interrogation on Wednesday morning, Ruz decided her implication goes beyond that of a witness.
Mato, who has taken a role in the new drug pricing policy, resigned as a way of avoiding discredit to her party, conservative PP, in office in Madrid, she said in a statement late on Wednesday.
Spain’s president Mariano Rajoy has decided to make vice president Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría temporary head of the ministry.
The ministry of health has held meetings with pharma, generic manufacturers and other interested parties in order to prepare the draft of the new pricing regulation. Agustín Rivero, from the ministry, said the draft will be published before the end of the year.
If Rivero’s deadline is met, one of the first tasks of the new minister could be the announcement of the draft.
Officials of the PP party have been implicated in the Gurtel corruption scandal linking them to alleged bribery, money laundering and tax evasion.
Gurtel is a cryptic reference to one of the key suspects, Francisco Correa, who is accused of bribing politicians and officials and whose family name translates as 'strap' or 'belt' in English or Gurtel in German.
However, while hundreds are under investigation for corruption or facing trial, in events that came to public attention in 2009, only one person has so far been convicted of a crime.
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