Sources from the Presidency of Congress assure that the masks that the Balearic Government acquired during the pandemic -at the stage in which it was presided over by the socialist Francina Armengol– were not defective and have stated that the PP “defames”, following the ‘popular’ have requested the “immediate” resignation of the president of the Legislature, understanding that Armengol was aware of the alleged scam.
According to sources, the “basic error is that they insist that the masks were ‘fake’ and then any subsequent administrative process would be irregular.” But, they point out, the masks were not defective: “They were of quality suitable for surgery, but not enough for hospitals.“. For this reason, sources from the Presidency of Congress assert, they analyzed the masks – “which happens as they arrive and proves not to be in any ‘plot’ – and claimed “in the average times that all the administrative files of pandemic, but within the deadline.”The PP defames. That’s their policy“, they add.
“The reality is that the conversations and the summary show that the Armengol government was a problem for the plot, because it complained to them. So much so that it apparently maneuvers so that the file expires, which happens with Prohens and the PP in the government this year”, the sources conclude, in reference to the current Balearic president, the ‘popular’ Marga Prohens.
The Balearic Islands endorsed the purchase in 2020
According to a certificate that appears in the summary of the so-called ‘Koldo case’ – which investigates the participation of Koldo Garciaformer advisor to former Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos, in the alleged collection of commissions on the sale of masks -, the Balearic government chaired by Armengol certified in August 2020 that the company in the plot “satisfactorily” carried out the supply of masks contracted for 3.7 million euros although, three years later, he ended up demanding money for having received material of lower quality than that contracted.
The Health Department of the Balearic Government issued a certificate on August 12, 2020 stating, at the request of the company Soluciones de Gestión y Apoyo a Empresas, that “there was no “knowledge” at that time “of any incident” and that the supplies made during that year had been satisfactory.
The certificate was issued for the purposes of the “participation” of the company on which the investigation directed by the National Court pivots “in public tenders” and was signed by the deputy director of purchasing and logistics of the health service of the islands, Antonio Mascaro.
The Balearic Government bought almost 1.5 million masks in 2020 for 3.7 million euros to this company, but, once supplied, as reported by the Department of Health, an analysis was requested and it was determined that the masks did not meet the FFP2 requirements.
The Balearic administration, still chaired by Francina Armengol, ended up demanding 2.6 million euros from the company in the Koldo case in 2023, a matter that, according to the summary, greatly worried several businessmen investigated and in which they would have tried to mediate your favor Koldo García.
The PP demands the “immediate” resignation of Armengol
The Popular Party has demanded this Friday the “immediate resignation” of Armengol, believing that the Balearic Government that he presided during the pandemic was “connoisseur and active collaborator of an alleged scam in the purchase of masks“linked to Ábalos’ former advisor. This is what the PP spokesperson has claimed, Borja Semperwho at a press conference stated that “the president of the Congress of Deputies cannot be under suspicion, she is the third authority of the State” and has urged that the president of the Government, Pedro Sánchez “clarify all the information, including the that affect their closest environment”, because “their silence increases doubts”.
For her part, the Vice Secretary of Organization of the Popular Party, Carmen Funez He has advanced in an interview on RNE that from Genoa they will analyze possible responsibilities at a legal level and has demanded the resignation of the president of Congress.
Las Mañanas de RNE – Fúnez (PP): “We ask for the resignation of Armengol, he is the third authority of the State” – Listen now
Also the president of the Balearic Islands, Marga Prohens, has demanded explanations to his predecessor for his connection with the Koldo case “because, otherwise, she cannot continue holding her position” as president of the Congress of Deputies.
“There are already too many shadows and doubts” regarding Armengol’s connection with the Koldo case, Prohens said in an interview in Cope, where he stated that “the Spaniards do not deserve that the third authority of the State is involved in a corrupt plot.” The Balearic PP reported in a statement.
The PSOE requests Tellado’s appearance
Meanwhile, the PSOE has demanded that the PP spokesperson in Congress, Miguel Tellado, appear in the Lower House to give explanations regarding the allusions to him in the summary of the ‘Koldo case’. , as stated by Ferraz’s spokesperson, Esther Peña, in an interview on La Hora de la 1. The socialists consider that Tellado may be involved as a possible intermediary for the current Government of the Balearic Islands to drop a claim of 2.6 million to the company of the plot due to an error in the masks received during the pandemic.
The PSOE demands Tellado’s appearance due to his possible connection with the ‘Koldo case’: “He should give us an explanation”
The Government defends Armengol’s management during his time at the head of the Balearic Government and also demands explanations from the PP. This is what the first vice president and Minister of Finance did this Friday, Maria Jesus Monterowho has accused the PP of being “overacting” and has stressed that it was the government led by Armengol that requested the refund of the purchased masks “for believing that the quality did not correspond to the award”, something that, as he noted, was “common” during the health crisis.
“I don’t know very well what the PP’s request for responsibility is: it is during its mandate that the actions that had been attempted in the previous administration“, said Montero, who added, in reference to the popular ones: “Many times you quarrel so that they do not quarrel with you. “You try to shake off your responsibility by looking back.”
