SPANISH PM VOWS TO BATTLE ALLEGATIONS

Allegations of high-level corruption in Spain's ruling conservative party followed Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to Berlin, where on Monday he strongly denied that he or other top conservatives had accepted secretive cash payments from the party for years.

"The things that are attributed to me are false. I can say it again today," Rajoy said at a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. It was the first time he taken questions from reporters since the Spanish newspaper El Pais published allegations about the payments Thursday.

On Saturday, Rajoy denied the allegations in a speech to his party's top leadership that was televised nationally.

In Berlin, where he and Merkel tried to keep the news conference focused on their bilateral economic talks, Rajoy said he has a "stable" government and an absolute majority in the Spanish parliament. Spain's Socialist opposition leader, Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, has demanded that Rajoy resign over the scandal.

Spain's unemployment rate hits 26%

Spain's austerity characters suffer

Spain's unemployment rate hits 26%

Rajoy also announced that lawyers for his Popular Party are studying possible lawsuits against those who have made the allegations, leaked the allegations or published the allegations. A statement issued by the party earlier in Madrid said all legal options were on the table, including potential criminal or civil lawsuits.

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Merkel said she is confident that Spain and Rajoy will solve Spain's deep economic problems, and she said bilateral talks with Rajoy indicated that Spain has been enacting structural and economic reforms aimed at reactivating the economy.

She added that Germany is well aware of Spain's high level of unemployment -- the rate is 26% -- but she said she is sure the reforms will make an impact.

On Thursday, El Pais published what it said were handwritten documents detailing 19 years of secretive cash payments.

The payments continued through 2009, the newspaper reported, including tens of thousands of dollars paid to Rajoy.

Rajoy, saying he has nothing to hide, announced Saturday that his income tax statements and declaration of personal wealth will be posted this week on the prime minister's website.

"We can't permit that Spaniards, whom we are asking to make sacrifices, could have the impression that we are not up to strictest ethical standards," he said.