Rajoy, Cospedal, and Zoido to Testify in 'Kitchen' Trial

The Criminal Chamber of the National Court (AN) has accepted that former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, former Secretary-General of the PP María Dolores de Cospedal, and former Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido testify as witnesses in the trial for the so-called 'Operation Kitchen', as requested by the popular accusations brought by PSOE and Podemos.

This decision is detailed in an order issued this Wednesday where the Criminal Chamber accepts almost all of the testimonial evidence proposed by the parties.

In its indictment, the PSOE requested the testimonies of Rajoy, Cospedal, Zoido, former Director-General of the National Police Juan Ignacio Cosidó, and former Madrid councilor Enrique López, among 50 other names. Additionally, former Vice President Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría has also been called as a witness by Podemos.

However, the AN has rejected a request from the Ministry of Interior to prepare a report detailing the total cost of 'Operation Kitchen' to "determine the economic damage and loss caused to public funds," as requested by the socialist accusation.

The Criminal Chamber justifies this refusal on the grounds that "it is an investigative measure more appropriate for the already closed instruction phase, which this court should not undertake as it exceeds its competencies and is unnecessary and useless for adjudicating purposes."

Regarding the start of the trial, the National Court warns that "due to the current plenary overload," it cannot yet summon the parties for any specific date.

Last October, investigating judge Manuel García Castellón ordered the opening of an oral trial against former Interior Minister Jorge Fernández Díaz and former Interior officials for 'Kitchen', a para-police operation allegedly launched to steal material related to the judicial investigation of the 'Gürtel' case from former PP treasurer Luis Bárcenas.

In addition to the former Interior Minister, the judge sent his former Secretary of State Francisco Martínez, former Deputy Operational Director (DAO) Eugenio Pino, police officials José Luis Olivera, Marcelino Martín Blas, José Ángel Fuentes Gago, Bonifacio Díez Sevillano, Enrique García Castaño, Andrés Manuel Gómez Gordo, retired commissioner and main suspect José Manuel Villarejo, and Bárcenas' former chauffeur Sergio Ríos Esgueva to trial.

However, regarding former head of the Central Operational Support Unit (UCAO) of the National Police Enrique García Castaño, the AN excludes him from the list of defendants because "he was already removed from proceedings during the instruction phase due to his proven severe psychological and physical conditions."