Judge summons senior government minister as witness in Air Europa rescue probe

In the ongoing judicial inquiry into the state-backed rescue of Air Europa, Judge José María Escribano has issued a summons for Sara Aagesen, who serves as minister and third vice-president of the government, to appear as a witness. The same hearing will also hear testimony from Manuel de la Rocha, director of the Presidency’s Economic Affairs Office, former Sumar parliamentarian Íñigo Errejón, and ex-secretary of State for Transport Pedro Saura.

The case originated after the Partido Popular and Vox filed complaints alleging a crime of administrative prevarication related to the 475-million-euro injection from the FASEE fund that helped the airline survive the Covid-19 crisis. Earlier, the judge questioned Bartolomé Lora, who was acting head of SEPI when the rescue plan was first proposed in 2020. The investigation also required SEPI to identify the FASEE secretary and voting members of its governing council, among them Saura and de la Rocha.