Spain’s premier publishes tax returns amid scandal

— Spain’s prime minister has published a summary of his income and tax returns in a bid to defuse a corruption scandal engulfing his government after the publication of media allegations that he and senior members of his political party received and distributed under-the-table payments.

The accounts appeared Saturday on Mariano Rajoy’s official website and indicate he took a wage cut from (euro) 240,000 ($320,780) while in opposition to (euro) 75,000 ($100,240) as prime minister.

The figures however only go back to 2003, the year Rajoy took over the Popular Party as election candidate.

The scandal emerged after leading newspaper El Pais published a report on Jan. 31 about ledgers it said were from party treasurer Luis Barcenas, stretching back nearly 20 years, showing alleged cash payments to leading party members including Rajoy.

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