José Luis Ábalos, former Minister of Transport in Pedro Sánchez’s government, has appeared for the second time in a parliamentary session to respond to the Koldo case, a judicial investigation opened at the National Court for the alleged illegal collection of commissions in the purchase of medical material by the Administration during the pandemic. The case involves his former advisor Koldo García. Ábalos has denied any knowledge or involvement in the contracts awarded by the Balearic Islands government to Soluciones de Gestión, the company used by the alleged corrupt network. He has distanced himself from Koldo García, referring to him only as one of his “five” advisors in the ministry, rather than a person of his utmost confidence.
During his testimony, Ábalos stated that he had no role in the contracts awarded by the Balearic government. He denied assigning García to mediate between companies and various administrations to provide material, and also stated that he did not facilitate contact between García and members of the Balearic government. He also denied intervening to stop the Balearic government’s claim against Soluciones de Gestión for the poor quality of masks supplied. He emphasized that he did not mediate with the current PP government, as he had no authority to do so.
Ábalos downplayed Koldo García’s role within his team at the Ministry of Transport, stating that he had more advisors of trust, and that while García accompanied him on trips and organized logistics, his presence was not as significant in the day-to-day operations of the ministry. The questioning from the right-wing parties also touched on the relationship between Ábalos and his party, with questions about his suspension from the PSOE and his interactions with the vice president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, in January 2020.
The commission had also summoned Koldo García to testify on Friday, but he did not show up at the Balearic Parliament. According to reports, García claims he is willing to attend but has not yet received a formal notification. García had previously appeared before a Senate commission but refused to answer most questions, defending his innocence and criticizing accusations against him. Despite the tensions during the questioning, García maintained his position and denied being involved in any criminal organization.
The case continues to generate interest and scrutiny, with questions surrounding the alleged corruption in the procurement of medical material during the pandemic. Ábalos and García’s testimonies shed light on their involvement or lack thereof in the contracts awarded by the Balearic government. The debates in the parliamentary sessions reflect the ongoing investigation and the political implications of the case. Both sides continue to defend their positions, highlighting the complexities of the situation and the need for transparency and accountability in government actions.
