The Balearics career politician Facing jail over Alleged embezzlement of funds

Maria Antonia Munar, the former leader of the now-defunct Unió Mallorquina (UM) grouping, who Was a figure in politics center on the Balearic island from the 1980s Until her downfall in 2010, is currently on trial in Palma de Mallorca For Her Alleged Involvement in diverting public funds to private companies part-owned Either she WAS or linked with. The trial, Which Began last month, is the first piece of the jigsaw created by the legal so-Called "Make-up case," Involving the embezzlement of public money Suspected from the Mallorca-through grants to regional Government companies linked to UM and payments to election agents. It is the first of open cases Against Several Separate Munar, For Whom anti-corruption Prosecutors are seeking a six-year jail term and a 14-year ban from holding public office. Political Munar's long career saw her serve as president in the Balearic Parliamentary region, culture chief, the largest of Costitx and head of the Palma City Council in coalition governments Formed With The Popular Party, the Socialists and the nationalist Socialist Party of Mallorca. Her successor as leader of UM, Miquel Nadal, who served as vice president Munar's at Palma City Hall Between 2003 and 2007, faces charges the Same and the Same prosecutor's petition. Her successor as party leader of UM Also hinge faces charges the Same The case centers on the Approval of Contracts worth 240.000 euros public to a production company fronted by That Was Victor Garcia, Who was married to a cousin of Munar's husband, and Miquel Sard, Whose cousin is married to Nadal. That HAD testified Sard Nadal handed him an envelope in 300.000 euros to purchase video production company U. Another witness, Luisa Almiñana, That said UM filled with posts at U Video STI members, who Turned out to be ghost Employees. That Nadal has testified Munar handed him the money Personally, in her official vehicle, to purchase Video U and another audiovisual production company, Bay Broadcasting. The UM's downfall Came About When the owners of the production companies, Miquel Oliver, Ramon Rullan and Almiñana, Decided to Cooperate with Investigators. That state Prosecutors Munar and Nadal "arranged in an arbitrary to Benefit from Manner public funds to companies with Which They Had A long association of ownership, control or connection. They Were Fully aware of the legal incompatibility and THEREFORE Sought to formula [the use of front men] to hide Their actual participation in the organization. " In all there are 10 defendants in the trial: Munar and Nadal, the three owners of Video U - who will not be handed prison sentences due to Their cooperation - and the front four figures, Sard, Alfredo Conde, Elizabeth Dieguez and Garcia. Prosecutors are seeking terms of Between Two years and three months, and three years and three months for the Latter four. Munar's former press chief and former director of communications at the Palma City Hall, Margaret Sotomayor, faces a jail term Also of six years.