In Catalonia, the High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) is investigating former Catalan interior minister and ERC MP Joan Ignasi Elena, alongside former Iniciativa MP Joan Herrera, over alleged irregular public contract awards in Altafulla, Tarragona.
The case is linked to a wider investigation involving Félix Alonso Cantorné, the former mayor of Altafulla and a current Comuns MP in the Spanish Congress, according to El País and confirmation from Europa Press based on the judicial order.
According to the TSJC, Elena and Herrera, as administrators of the company Sinergia E.D.M., allegedly allowed the mayor to award extensions of a minor advisory contract. The awards were reportedly made without publicity or any tender, and without the required reports.
The judicial order says Sinergia received €1,300 a month for advisory services. Between November 2017 and July 2019, 22 invoices were issued, totalling €25,046.67, even though the initial contract was for €15,600. The court says that, beyond the 13 expected invoices, nine more were issued with similar amounts and concepts outside the contract terms.
The investigation also covers a minor contract awarded to Sinergia to draft the specifications for planning the Casal Municipal de la Violeta. The consultancy charged €5,000 before VAT for that work. The court says this was one of the tasks usually carried out by municipal staff.
The TSJC says there may have been improper use of both contract extensions and the minor contract route. It also notes that the awards went ahead despite unfavourable reports from the municipal comptroller and without reports from the town hall secretary. The civil and criminal chamber of the TSJC took over the case from Court of First Instance and Instruction No. 4 in El Vendrell, following the prosecution’s criteria because Joan Ignasi Elena has parliamentary immunity as an MP. More Catalonia news
