The discussions between grandfather Florenci and Jordi Pujol: this is how the family justifies the inheritance in Andorra

San Fernando de HenaresWith former president Jordi Pujol no longer on the scene and two marathon interrogation sessions with the eldest son, Jordi Pujol Ferrusola, and Josep Pujol Ferrusola, this Wednesday at the Audiencia Nacional it was the turn of the rest of the family. Oriol Pujol, the only one of the children who went into politics, was the first and set the defense line. The thesis is that the origin of the inheritance in Andorra is not corruption, as the Prosecutor's Office claims, but an inheritance left to them by their grandfather because he did not trust the political activities that his father, Jordi Pujol i Soley, might engage in – Florenci Pujol died in 1980. So much so that Oriol Pujol has stated that the former president never had an account in Andorra in his name because he was expressly excluded from the inheritance. He said that, knowing his grandfather's distrust, it is not "strange" that he left a legacy directly to his grandchildrenEl Correo Catalán'.

The most explicit has been Marta Pujol, the second of the seven siblings, and who, like the firstborn, had a close relationship with Florenci Pujol. They were both young when Jordi Pujol i Soley was imprisoned during Franco's dictatorship. A time when the grandfather – she explained – was very present in family life and forged a "special" relationship with Marta Ferrusola, the family's now-deceased mother and the former president's wife. Marta Pujol has recounted, in this regard, that she learned directly from her grandfather that there was an inheritance in Andorra after Franco's death:

further multiplies the existing moneyfurther multiplies the existing monies –according to the family’s account–. Until 1992, which is when each sibling opened their own account and took responsibility for it. Emphasizing this, they have sought to dismantle the "illicit association," and they have done so by assuring that no one gave them orders on how to manage this money.

Marta Pujol also recounted that from 201 onwards, Banca Reig (future Andbank) informed them without further explanation that they had to leave the institution: it was then that they moved to Banca Privada de Andorra (BPA), the institution that eventually closed and from where the Spanish police managed to extract data about Pujol's accounts that were published in El Mundo on July 7, 2014. "We regularized the money because we were exposed," said Pere Pujol.

The different case of Oriol Pujol

Pere Pujol, Mireia Pujol, Oleguer Pujol and Oriol Pujol have explained the same thing about the origin of the accounts. With one difference: in the case of the latter, who went into politics, he explained that there comes a point when he feels "uncomfortable" having that account abroad and dissociates himself from it, giving it to his older brother. "In 2008 I perceive the possibility of having a relevant political role. Having the fund causes me discomfort and that is why in 2009 I give the powers to my brother Jordi," he summarized, as he immediately took on frontline responsibilities in CDC. During Wednesday's session, the first businessmen also declared, denying having received preferential treatment from the administration and having issued false invoices within the framework of the eldest son's businesses.