In the coming days, an important personnel decision is expected in Spain: State Attorney General Teresa Peramato must decide whether Almudena Lastra will remain as head of the Madrid prosecutor’s office. This issue has become particularly pressing after Lastra testified in the trial that led to the conviction of former Attorney General Álvaro García Ortiz for revealing secrets. According to RUSSPAIN, the situation surrounding the Madrid appointment once again places the prosecutor’s office at the center of public attention.
There are only two candidates in the running: the current head, Lastra, who has led the regional prosecutor’s office for the past five years, and Isabel Martín, who is associated with the technical secretariat of the prosecutor’s office and is supported by various recent leaders. Sources in the Council of Prosecutors believe that Martín may receive the appointment, as she is considered close to the current leadership. At the same time, some colleagues feel that Lastra deserves to continue due to her experience and professional reputation.
Internal conflict
The scandal surrounding the information leak in the case linked to associates of Isabel Díaz Ayuso has split the leadership of the prosecutor’s office. Lastra refused to sign the official statement on the matter and openly expressed suspicions regarding García Ortiz. In court, she stated that she personally asked him about a possible leak but did not receive a clear answer. Some colleagues believe her actions were motivated by personal animosity toward the former head, while others think she acted in the interest of the institution.
Within the Madrid prosecutor’s office, Peramato’s decision is awaited with tension. In the Council of Prosecutors, the majority belongs to the Prosecutors’ Association, which Martín was previously affiliated with, but after an internal scandal she left the organization. Martín’s candidacy is supported for her modern views and extensive professional network, although her shorter work experience raises concerns among some colleagues.
Other key appointments
In addition to Madrid, the fate of another 20 senior positions in the prosecutor’s office will be decided this week. Special attention is being paid to the possible appointment of Pilar Rodríguez, the current head of the prosecutor’s office in Madrid province, to the Supreme Court for Social Affairs. Rodríguez was also named in the case against García Ortiz, but her case was closed due to lack of evidence. Other appointments include the re-election of the head of the Constitutional Court’s prosecutor’s office, Pedro Crespo, and the chief of the Supreme Court’s civil section, Pilar Martín Najera. The head of the inspection office will also be replaced, as Antonia Sainz did not apply for an extension of her mandate.
Reaction and consequences
The Prosecutors Council has criticized Peramato for the fact that his promise to “heal the wounds” after the García Ortiz scandal has not yet led to a real balance of interests within the agency. In February, during the previous appointments, open opponents of the former leadership were ignored, causing discontent among part of the professional community. At the same time, Peramato’s team maintains that efforts are being made to find a balance and consider different viewpoints.
Questions about the transparency and fairness of personnel decisions in Spain’s judicial system have been raised before. For example, a court in Tarragona recently requested banking records of the former finance minister and his associates for the past 20 years, which also sparked debate about the principles of selection and oversight in government bodies. More details about this investigation can be found in the article on the investigation of Cristóbal Montoro’s accounts and his associates.
