The National Police are investigating alleged irregularities in the Municipal Parking Company (Smassa) of Malaga. They are looking into whether the signature of one of the company’s employees was falsified, as the City Council of Malaga holds a 51% stake in Smassa. The Socialist spokesperson in the Malaga Council, Daniel Pérez, described it as a “blatant forgery done with Photoshop.” The company has admitted to “administrative irregularities in contracting” and has opened an internal investigation to clarify what happened. The employee had previously reported the company’s manager, Manuel Díaz Guirado, for alleged workplace harassment and claimed she was dismissed for refusing to cross certain lines.
The issue came to light through an accusation from the PSOE municipal group. They revealed the alleged forgery of a signature in a report from the Municipal Parking Company related to a municipal parking lot construction in the El Palo neighborhood, which had a 30% cost overrun, reaching a public spending of 11 million euros. A Smassa employee reported to the National Police that her signature had been forged while she was on medical leave due to workplace harassment by the company’s manager, Díaz Guirado. She stated that she had been asked to sign documents that could lead her to jail, prompting her to refuse. The issue was discussed at a municipal council meeting in October, but the ruling Partido Popular government rejected a motion to address it in depth.
After six months, following the new accusations from the PSOE, the Mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre, claimed to have no knowledge of the situation and suggested clarifying it once he had more information. The municipal company later admitted to administrative irregularities in contracting, which they became aware of on February 8. They reviewed the documentation and procedures, finding that the Department of Works had not performed their duties correctly. However, they confirmed that payments were for work actually carried out, ruling out any irregularities there. An investigation was opened on March 7 to determine responsibilities, with the manager of Smassa and the Councilor for Mobility testifying before the National Police in April.
The PSOE has called for a commission of inquiry into the irregularities and cost overruns in the El Palo parking lot construction, alleging that contracts were awarded without due process to replace a municipal employee who was not manageable by the management. They have requested the dismissal of Díaz Guirado and an audit of the irregularities, citing clear evidence of signature manipulation in technical assistance contracts and work permits. The Socialist spokesperson has condemned the actions as serious and criticized the Mayor of Malaga for denying knowledge of the situation. The initiative has been supported by Vox and Con Málaga party.
