Council members from Torrevieja´s Los Verdes green party are asking to see contracts relating to the government´s expenditure for Torrevieja´s involvement in the FITUR tourism event.
The request has come about following the head of the PP in Orihuela, Pepa Ferrando, being charged with criminal offences relating to the award of work, with allegations that the official public tender process was bypassed, by splitting contracts into amounts that fell within the amount where work can be allocated without going through the procedure, but always awarded to the same companies.
The Los Verdes in Torrevieja are suspicious that the same activity could have taken place in contracts awarded by the town hall there, and therefore wish to confirm whether there has been any wrongdoing by the PP in Torrevieja, as is the case in Orihuela, when Ferrando was the councillor for tourism, during the previous government administration.
According to the Los Verdes in a statement, the proceedings opened by the Alicante Provincial Prosecutor make it abundantly clear that recruitment of these services by the municipality of Orihuela could have committed a number of criminal offenses due to alleged rigging of procurement procedures, for the sole purpose of infringing and violating the principles governing the Contracts of Public Administrations.
Ferrando meanwhile has issued a statement protesting her innocence, claiming to have written to the judge to request a speedy hearing, at which time she is in no doubt that her innocence will be proven. Ferrando has also refused to step down as Mayoral candidate and head of the party, on account of her claims of innocence.
Ferrando took over as the head of the PP after Mónica Lorente was forced to step aside, given the rules of the regional PP that anybody charged in connection with corruption cases would not be allowed to lead or stand for election. A number of other PP members are currently facing corruption charges and have not yet asked for speedy trials.
The Los Verdes in Torrevieja hope that by the government team agreeing to disclose the documents to them, they will be able to confirm whether or not Torrevieja´s involvement may be subject to similar scrutiny.
Filed under: http://www.theleader.info/article/42931/
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