Álvaro García Ortiz has resigned as Spain’s attorney general, just days after he was suspended for two years by the country’s Supreme Court over the leaking of confidential information about the boyfriend of a leading opposition politician.
The outgoing attorney general announced his decision in a letter to Justice Minister Félix Bolaños on Monday.
In it, García Ortiz stated that he was leaving before the Supreme Court executed his disqualification out of “deep respect” for judicial rulings and his “ever-present desire to protect the Spanish Public Prosecutor’s Office”.
The 57-year-old also explained that he had made the decision with the Spanish public in mind.
“This is an act owed not only to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, but to all Spanish citizens,” he said.
Private data case prompts resignation
Following a months-long investigation and trial, Spain’s top court found him guilty on Thursday of sharing private information about Alberto González Amador, when the businessman was under investigation for alleged tax fraud.
González Amador is the partner of Madrid’s influential regional leader Isabel Díaz Ayuso.
García Ortiz said in his resignation letter that while his decision “derives directly” from the Supreme Court’s ruling last week, he leaves with the conviction of having served the institution “with a vocation for public service, a sense of duty and institutional loyalty”.
The resignation will not be effective until the Council of Ministers approves it — which is likely to happen on Tuesday — and it is published in the Official State Gazette.
García Ortiz could have remained in office until the Supreme Court issued its full sentence, including the arguments for his conviction, but opted to resign instead.
In addition to being removed from his post, the court ordered that he pay €7,200 in fines, €10,000 in damages to González Amador and the court fees.
The Spanish government said that it “respected the decision but does not share it”.
It will now be up to the government to appoint a new head of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the fourth since Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez took office in June 2018.
Prior to García Ortiz, the position was held by María José Segarra and Dolores Delgado, who also resigned, although in her case it was due to health problems.
