Transparency Director Resigns After Being Named Defendant in Azud Case. Jorge Bellver steps down as director of Transparency following the confirmation of his status as a defendant in the Azud case. The President of the Generalitat thanked him and emphasized the presumption of innocence. A decision on his dismissal is expected at the next Consell meeting.
In Valencia, the Director General of Transparencia, Jorge Bellver (PP), announced his resignation and asked the President of the Generalitat Valenciana, Juanfran Pérez Llorca, to consider his departure after the court confirmed his status as a defendant in the Azud case. Bellver, who previously served as Urban Planning Advisor at City Hall under Rita Barberá, found himself at the center of an investigation into alleged bribes involving the allocation of municipal contracts.
The decision to step down came in response to the ruling by the Audiencia Provincial de Valencia, which confirmed his procedural status. Bellver sent a letter to the President of the Generalitat expressing gratitude for the trust placed in him, and also notified the leadership of the Partido Popular de la Comunitat Valenciana of his request to temporarily suspend his party membership until the proceedings are concluded. In response, the regional government head thanked him for his service and recalled the presumption of innocence, emphasizing that the Consell will make a final decision on his dismissal this Friday.
Meanwhile, the PPCV committee on rights and guarantees has opened an informational inquiry into Bellver, as required by party statutes. The Azud case itself is linked to suspicions of illegal payments for municipal contracts in Valencia between 2009 and 2013. Investigators believe companies receiving contracts issued fictitious invoices, and the case file includes a list of gifts allegedly given to Bellver during his time at City Hall.
In 2022, the judge suggested that Bellver officially join the proceedings, but he refused. After he lost his parliamentary immunity in 2025, he was summoned for questioning as a suspect. Bellver tried to challenge this decision, but the Audiencia Provincial upheld his status. Such personnel changes amid investigations are not uncommon in Spanish politics: earlier, the media focused on a case involving the controversial appointment to a position in the Diputación de Badajoz, which was covered in detail in the report about the role of the former head of the Diputación in creating the new position.
The Azud case has become one of the most prominent anti-corruption investigations in recent years in Valencia. According to open sources, transparency and anti-corruption issues remain central for both regional and national authorities in Spain. In such cases, officials are often temporarily suspended from their positions until the investigation is completed, to avoid pressure on the process and maintain trust in institutions. In recent years, internal party procedures for responding to such incidents have become stricter, allowing quicker decisions on suspending the powers and membership of suspects.
