MALLORCA TODAY - Matas trial starts today

The long-awaited trial of former Balearics president Jaume Matas gets underway in Palma today (9 January). The trial is the consequence of the so-called "caso Palma Arena", the building of the velodrome at a cost of 110 million euros and for which contracts were not formalised. The ex-president is charged with embezzlement, perverting the use of influence and falsification of documents. The prosecutors are calling for eight and a half years imprisonment. Others charged include a journalist, Antonio Alemany, also for embezzlement and for fraud. In all, there are five defendants in a trial that is expected to last the whole of the month and for which there are 26 separate items for consideration.