Investigates alleged crimes of embezzlement, prevarication and influence peddling

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into the contracts signed – during the first stage of the pandemic – by the Canarian Health Service and the Health Service of the Balearic Islands with the alleged plot in which Koldo García, former advisor, would have participated. from former Minister of Transport José Luis Ábalos, for the supply of masks.

This was announced this Monday by the community body in a statement in which it specified that it opened the proceedings after receiving “a complaint from an individual” and carrying out “various measures aimed at verifying its competence to investigate the alleged facts.”

The European Prosecutor’s Office has adopted this decision after collecting additional information from the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and the Central Court of Instruction Number 2 of the National Court, who are investigating in Spain seven members of the alleged ‘Koldo plot’, who would have paid irregular commissions to obtain mask contracts with the Administration during the first stage of the pandemic. As specified, it has also compiled data from the different organizations in charge of managing the financing of the European Union.

“Based on the information collected, the decision was made to formally initiate the investigation for alleged crimes of misappropriation of public funds, prevarication and influence peddling in accordance with national legislation and the Regulation of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office,” he said.

Within the framework of the statement, the community body has not specified whether there are already people or companies accused of said crimes or if at the moment it is only investigating facts.

The Spanish Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office sent documentation to the European Prosecutor’s Office on June 8, 2023 through a decree “as it affects European Union funds.” Sources close to the investigation confirm to Europa Press that the contracts in question would be several signed with the autonomous communities then chaired by Francina Armengol and Ángel Víctor Torres.

Specifically, these are four contracts signed by the Canary Islands and one by the Balearic Islands with the company Soluciones de Gestión y Apoyo a las Empresas SL between April and May 2020, for a joint amount of 16,019,079 euros, according to the data collected. the complaint of the Spanish Public Ministry.

In the case of the Canary Islands, the first of these contracts was signed for the supply of 837,300 KN95 masks and 555,000 FFP2 masks for an amount of 2,095,018 euros. The second was awarded for transportation, air freight and mask transportation insurance for 447,061 euros. The third contract reached 4.7 million euros for the acquisition of FFP2 masks. And the fourth was subscribed for 5 million euros for the supply of two million KN95 masks.

Regarding the Balearic Administration, the contract awarded by the Health Service of the Balearic Islands was signed in May 2020 for 3.7 million euros for the supply of FFP2 masks.

CONTRACTS INVESTIGATED AT THE NATIONAL COURT

It should be remembered that the rest of the contracts that were awarded to the alleged ‘Koldo plot’ are being investigated by the Central Investigative Court Number 2 of the National Court and the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office itself.

In its complaint, the Public Ministry details that the first contract investigated was awarded by Puertos del Estado, with Koldo himself being part of its Governing Council. The second was awarded by an entity dependent on its Ministry – ADIF – “where it advised the owner” of the same. “Subsequent contracts are awarded by the Ministry of the Interior as a result of the decisions of the Ministry of Transport,” he adds.

Specifically, there is a file awarded in March 2020 by Puertos del Estado for 20 million euros, a file awarded by Adif on that same date for 12.5 million euros, and a file awarded in April of that year by the Subdirectorate General of Economic and Asset Management for 3.4 million euros.