The socialist branch of the Azud case worries the Valencian Government in the final stretch of the legislature

The report of the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard which speaks of the alleged irregular financing of the PSPV during the 2007 and 2008 campaigns, and in which they deduce that several companies were responsible for electoral expenses of those years, has caused concern in the Valencian Government just six months before the next regional elections are held.

An order issued by the judge who investigates the case after receiving this report indicates that the investigation is still open for the alleged crimes of bribery, influence peddling, prevarication, fraud in contracting and documentary falsification, but does not mention irregular financing or the possible electoral crime that would have derived from it.

Even so, the concern for the damage and political attrition is evident.

Above all, among socialist ranks, although this Friday, the vice president of the Consell and leader of Compromís, Aitana Mas, has not hesitated to express her concern as well.

But she has pointed out that "any institution has to be concerned about corruption" and she has spoken of those years as a "very dark time" from which, according to her, "we have learned a lot".

"I would be much more concerned if it happened at a time when there are already mechanisms," he indicated, referring to the transparency instruments and what he called "firewalls" for corruption that have been launched since the arrival of the Botanist to the Generalitat.

“In 2008 there was no mechanism.

At that time, opacity was what reigned ”, she added.

Just two days ago

The UCO report has been used by the PP to try to divert the main focus of the plot, which is located in its own ranks, with the former deputy mayor of the PP of Valencia, Alfonso Grau —Rita Barberá's

for 20 years— , as one of the main parties involved in the alleged collection of two million euros in bribes, in addition to various properties, together with Barberá's own brother-in-law, the lawyer José María Corbín, who the prosecution attributes to being a "commission agent" for the awards that were made for 10 years in the Valencia City Council, between 2005 and 2015.

However, among those investigated are also two prominent socialists: the former councilor of the capital City Council and later sub-delegate of the Government, Rafael Rubio, and the former head of Finance of the Valencian socialists, Pepe Cataluña.

The former is suspected of having charged 300,000 euros for his silence, since at the time investigated he was a mayor of the opposition.

Regarding the second, the UCO attributes a "nuclear role" in obtaining funds for the party.

According to the report, various winning companies took charge, through interposed companies, of electoral expenses of the Valencian socialists.

The UCO focuses on an urban operation, projected in Jijona, which was never undertaken.

Socialist sources appeal to the fact that the case has no legal path because the crimes allegedly committed, irregular financing, were not criminalized in the years investigated, so it cannot be accused of a crime that did not exist.

This fact would respond to why the judge does not charge that crime.

Legal sources also explain that, for this reason, the Civil Guard agents seek urban operations to which to link the alleged payments because, if they succeed, they could point to a bribery crime.

"Even so, unless one of the businessmen recognizes it, it is a very difficult crime to prove," they argue.

In any case, the Valencian socialists do not hide the existence of political damage, at a time when the polls give them a voting intention to the limit for the achievement of a new Botanical Government, together with Compromís and Podem.

These, their partners in the Consell, do not evade the fact that, in the event that the case has electoral repercussions in the PSPV, the reissue of a third coalition government would be complicated.

Even so, Aitana Mas has emphasized that although at this moment "we are respecting judicial times, we continue to think that in any case of corruption, whoever does it must pay for it."