The Bizkaia Public Prosecutor’s Office has requested a seven-year prison sentence for former PNV Mayor Aitor Santisteban (Bizkaia), as reported by El Diario. He was mayor of Santisteban from 2007 to 2011 and on more than one occasion he was accused of embezzlement and falsification of documents. With the distortion of several works documents, he received more than two million euros in the legislature in which he was mayor, both of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia and of the Spanish State.

In addition to the former mayor, several businessmen and advisors will be judged for understanding that they have to do with the reported irregularities: Alberto Zulueta, Roberto Fernández, Javier Bediaga, Eduardo Ibarra and Saul Fonseca. They have also applied for seven-year prison sanctions. Juan Torrontegui was also involved, but died during the investigation.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, the builders Santisteban, the architect Alberto Zulueta (director of the company Arkideia), Pabisa (current Campezo) and Laneder "came to an agreement to obtain an illegal economic benefit simulating having done several works in the town". The Public Prosecutor's Office has specified that repairs to the Artiba road and the Basteita football field after the floods, the renewal of the social services of this football field and the development of the urban area of Loibe were used for these irregular dossiers.

Third phase

It is not the first time that the Alonsotegi PNV has been implicated in a corruption case. Between 2011-2015, when José Luis Erezuma was mayor, they used similar avenues to get subsidies. The former mayor died before the trial on 28 January. The mayor of the same town, Gabino Martínez de Arenaza, between 1999 and 2007, was also charged with corruption, along with Santisteban.