The Audit of Accounts committee is also discussing the report on contracts related to the pandemic, which includes those of RR7 and Management Solutions.
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, December 8. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Parliament of the Canary Islands will recommence this Monday at 10:00 a.m. its inquiry into the contracts established during the pandemic, in the absence of businessman Víctor de Aldama, who is allegedly linked to the ‘Koldo case’.
De Aldama was expected to appear this Monday before the Regional Chamber; however, he was not officially notified as he was incarcerated when the summons was sent to his residence. Consequently, the committee plans to arrange a new date, taking into account his willingness to participate, as a representative disclosed recently.
On the agenda for this Monday is the testimony of Natalia de Luis, former general auditor of the autonomous community, who will answer questions from parliamentary groups regarding the control mechanisms employed in public procurement during the pandemic.
This Monday, the Audit of Accounts committee will also discuss the report on the evaluation of pandemic contracts, which was previously rejected in the last Legislative session but has recently been approved by its Plenary, with opposition from two councillors from the PSOE. Those councillors cited the specific social and economic conditions arising from the pandemic and the challenges faced in acquiring medical supplies during a private vote.
The Court has confirmed contracts for medical supplies amounting to €81.9 million, with over 61% concentrated with four companies: ACJ (€17.9 million); Damco (€14 million); Business Management and Support Solutions (€9.7 million) and Injoo Technology (€8.9 million).
Additionally, the contracts list includes RR7 United, the firm associated with the ‘mask case’, which received €4 million in two instalments for one million masks that were ultimately destroyed due to being counterfeit.
The Court also highlights that in eleven cases examined where the awarded budget exceeds €2 million – totalling €41.8 million – there is no evidence that authorisation was sought from the Governing Council, as stipulated in Article 25 of the Budget Law for the Autonomous Community. Furthermore, in 35 out of 106 cases, it has been confirmed that there is neither justification for the expenditure to be incurred nor justifications for the emergency processing.
MORE THAN 6.5 MILLION UNITS, UNUSABLE
The institution expresses concern over the lack of competition, the incapacity of six contracted companies to work with the SCS, and the blocking of 6.5 million unusable units of material valued at approximately €2.1 million.
It also criticises the Canary Islands Government for not having verified the qualifications of the successful bidders nor requiring the necessary economic, financial, and technical solvency to fulfil the awarded contracts, stating that “despite the fact that these are emergency contracts, current regulations do not exempt the administration from fulfilling such requirements.”
If similar exceptional situations arise in the future, and to streamline and facilitate emergency contracting for works, supplies, or services exceeding €2 million, the Court recommends that the Government of the Canary Islands implement an alternative and expedited mechanism to fulfil the authorisation request process by the contracting bodies.
