SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 20th May (EUROPA PRESS) –
Today, the Parliament of the Canary Islands has set up a committee to investigate health contracts that were signed during the pandemic. This initiative was proposed by the Nationalist, Popular, and Vox parties and was unanimously approved during a plenary session of the Chamber in March.
The committee will be led by Raúl Acosta (AHI) from the Mixed Group, with Gustavo Santana (PSOE) serving as the vice president and Luz Reverón (PP) as the secretary. It consists of a total of 17 deputies from the seven groups in the Chamber and will operate for a maximum of six months, with the possibility of a four-month extension.
Acosta has acknowledged the significant interest that this committee has sparked among the people of the Canary Islands. He emphasized the need to uncover the truth rather than engage in political disputes or legal matters. The aim is to investigate what occurred during the challenging circumstances of the pandemic.
He stated, “If detrimental decisions were taken, we must delve into the details and implement corrective measures to prevent their recurrence.”
The president expects a professional and detached approach to be adopted, distinct from the political atmosphere in the Cortes. She has given the groups a week, until the next Monday, to submit their proposals for appearances and requests for information to initiate the work plan.
Acosta has acknowledged the possibility of holding some sessions in the afternoon due to scheduling difficulties.
Currently, the Parliament of the Canary Islands has 21 committees in addition to presentations, oversight bodies, plenary sessions, meetings, and spokespersons’ gatherings.
The President of the Canary Islands Parliament, Astrid Pérez, shares Acosta’s hope that this investigative committee will work calmly and remain free from the political tensions witnessed in other governmental bodies.
One of the key issues that the committee will address is the ‘mask case,’ where the Canarian Health Service paid four million Euros in advance to a non-health-related company for a million masks that were never delivered. These masks were later found to be fake and were destroyed by customs agents.
The investigation is also expected to look into contracts worth up to 12.2 million Euros awarded to the company Soluciones de Gestión y Apoyo a Empresas SL, linked to the ‘Koldo case,’ and the alleged tax evasion involving two companies in the purchase of medical supplies exceeding 22 million Euros.
