Europa Press Brussels
Brussels
Updated Tuesday, February 27, 2024-18:31
Courts High officials declare that the order to contract with Koldo's corrupt plot came from "the minister's entourage"
The European Commission applies "zero tolerance" against corruption, which is why
it has asked the European Anti-Fraud Office
(OLAF) to investigate whether the alleged collection of illegal commissions on the purchase of masks during the pandemic for which Koldo García was arrested -- former advisor to José Luis Ábalos when he was minister-- could have affected European Union funds.
"The European Commission will take all necessary measures to protect the
budget of the European Union
and has zero tolerance for fraud," a community spokesperson assured Europa Press, when questioned about the case and its impact on the community coffers.
Community services are in "close contact" with the
national authorities responsible for the management of European funds
, in this case the Ministry of Finance, to determine whether there is community money "involved."
For this reason, the spokesperson added, Brussels is following the matter "very closely" and
has sent the details
of the 'Koldo case' to OLAF to ask it to continue "investigating."
Precisely this Tuesday it was learned that the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office sent to the European Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) contracts of the so-called 'Koldo case'
signed with the autonomous governments of the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands
for a joint amount of 15.3 million euros. understanding that they were paid with European funds and that, therefore, they are the responsibility of the community body.
According to the complaint filed by Anti-Corruption, to which Europa Press has had access, the Spanish Public Ministry sent documentation to EPPO on June 8, 2023 through a decree "as it affected European Union funds."
Sources close to the investigation confirm to this news agency that the
contracts in question would be several signed
with the autonomous communities then chaired by Francina Armengol and Ángel Víctor Torres.
When asked by Europa Press, the European Public Prosecutor's Office has avoided confirming whether it is investigating the case since this body "does not comment on ongoing investigations
nor publicly confirms which cases it is working on
so as not to put any ongoing investigations at risk."
However, the same sources recall that the competence of the EPPO is "mandatory" since
it must "verify any indication
that may eventually result in" the facts being investigated falling "under its scope of jurisdiction."