Redaccion
The PSPV-PSOE has denounced the existence of a possible fraud and conflict of interest «as big as a cathedral» in the 1.5 million euro grant awarded by the Generalitat to the Chamber of Commerce of Alicante for the renovation of its new headquarters. In light of this situation, they have requested information on whether the regional government has signed a new agreement allowing this grant and the leasing contract of the property to businessman Enrique Ortiz.
The socialist spokesperson in Les Corts, José Muñoz, has accused the President of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, of «using his position to benefit the company where he is on leave.» «He only remains in power for three reasons: immunity, the salary of a former president, and profiting from the reconstruction and public funds of all Valencians,» he criticized in statements to the media on Thursday.
According to the socialist spokesperson, «the ‘Alicante Chamber case’ has all the elements to end badly, involving public money, businessman Enrique Ortiz, and the Popular Party.» «Whenever Enrique Ortiz, Carlos Mazón, and the Popular Party are involved, alarms go off, and we all need to pay close attention to what is happening,» he warned.
Muñoz, who has called on the Generalitat to «explain this entire situation» and «shed light on an issue that raises many suspicions,» specified that this grant is «subject to an agreement from 2024 that cannot be extended, meaning the agreement prohibits the transfer of public funds in 2025.» «If the agreement is not extendable and not multiannual, money will be transferred without legal support,» he cautioned.
According to the socialist spokesperson in Les Corts, Carlos Mazón «is committing fraud, bypassing the law because logically, a new agreement should be signed at least to support this money transfer.»
Muñoz finds it «obscene from a political and ethical perspective that the President of the Generalitat is awarding one and a half million euros to the company he is working for.» «In another country, this would be a major scandal, and the President would probably have to come out and explain or even resign over this issue,» he asserted.
Muñoz also finds it «strange» that budgetary items are included «preventively» for unsigned agreements. Therefore, the socialist leader has «the feeling, based on the modus operandi of the PP and Mazón, that the Chamber of Commerce of Alicante already knows they will receive the money regardless of whether there is an agreement or not.»
And that is why, he stated, «they are carrying out the works, seemingly without a license and without, in theory, financing from the Generalitat, because they are convinced that the administration will support them and they will not lack a building permit or financing.» «All of this is done without the minimum legal support,» he denounced.
«VERY DANGEROUS COCKTAIL»
Additionally, the socialists have asked the Generalitat to clarify «whether a new agreement has been signed with the Chamber of Commerce of Alicante allowing this grant, what role Carlos Mazón played in this operation, and the leasing contract with Enrique Ortiz for the property.» «We all know there is a very dangerous cocktail in the province of Alicante whenever Enrique Ortiz, the Popular Party, and public money are involved,» he warned.
Muñoz believes there is «a clear conflict of interest,» as Mazón is on leave from the Chamber of Commerce of Alicante and maintains «almost a fraternal relationship» with its president, Carlos Baño, who has stated «on several occasions» that the President of the Generalitat «is like a brother to him.» «It shows a closeness that concerns us when it comes to seeing how public money from Valencians is transferred in a non-transparent manner to this entity,» he argued.
In parallel, the PSPV spokesperson has also highlighted that the Generalitat is «paying 1.5 million to renovate a property where the Chamber of Commerce will be for four or five years,» giving the example: «None of us would embark on a renovation of 300,000, 400,000, or half a million euros if we have a four-year lease. Even if it were our own property and we had the money, we would not consider it. But it is clearly illogical.»
Nevertheless, José Muñoz, taking advantage of World Book Day celebrated this Wednesday, has predicted that this episode is «one of the first chapters» of a book «that still has many pages to be written and that we will probably discover over the next few weeks and months.»
