US, June 28 -- Absent from any known media announcement, on June 29, UN Tourism is expected to officially inaugurate its new headquarters in Madrid's Palacio de Congresos, marking a milestone for the organization and for Spain, its host country. The project was initiated during the tenure of former Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili and was made possible through decisions by the Spanish government to provide the landmark building and finance its renovation.

Yet the inauguration comes against an increasingly uncomfortable backdrop. As dignitaries prepare to celebrate the organization's new home, fresh reporting emerging from Spain's expanding corruption investigations has once again brought Pololikashvili's name into the spotlight. A...