Judge Mercedes Alaya continued to drive the spiral of the ERE case with 15 new indictments, marking a significant step as the first national leader of a union (CC OO) and the first former provincial deputy of the PP were implicated. The case has focused on former high-ranking Socialist officials responsible for the Andalusian regional government. Alaya specifically looked into the overcommissions paid in the ERE scandal as well as certain companies benefiting from the Sierra Norte region of Seville. With the addition of 166 accused individuals, including Jose Luis Montesinos of CC OO and Ramón Polo of the PP, the case continues to expand.
Alaya hinted at the possibility of more indictments once she finishes analyzing the latest report from the Guardia Civil on the Sierra Norte region and the report from the Mossos d’Esquadra on the Catalan consulting firm Vitalia, which led to the indictment of Montesinos. The investigation revealed more ‘intruders,’ people not affiliated with the benefiting companies who received payments they were not entitled to, and shed light on how these policies were a form of payment for helping the consulting firm secure deals within the Junta, companies, and unions. This has been a key focus of Alaya’s investigation, uncovering the role of consulting firms in the ERE scandal.
The Guardia Civil had previously requested the indictment of six union leaders, including individuals from UGT and CC OO. Notable intruders charged in the case include Manuel Morales, former UGT Metal General Secretary in Jaén, and Ramón Polo, a former PP deputy who received a policy payout he was not entitled to. Alaya also indicted Francisco Moyano, the Córdoba manager of a social cooperative federation, for receiving a significant sum without a proper request. Alaya criticized the Junta for failing to reclaim the funds from the federation, suggesting discrepancies in how the funds were distributed.
Additionally, Alaya ordered the arrest of J. Á. M. M., the owner of the company Gestifesa, for his role in facilitating public subsidies and his connection to Javier Guerrero, the former General Director of Labor. Alaya set a schedule for upcoming hearings, including former Socialist councilors and businessmen from the Sierra Norte region who received substantial subsidies from the Junta. Furthermore, Joaquín Yvancos, former lawyer of José María Ruiz Mateos, testified implicating Gaspar Zarrías, a PSOE official, in benefiting Ruiz Mateos. Yvancos claimed Zarrías had offered assistance in exchange for business deals, shedding light on potential corruption within the party.
The investigation into fraudulent activities in public-funded training courses in Málaga has also put additional pressure on the Andalusian government led by the PSOE and IU. The political stability of the government has been further compromised, with the parties divided on whether to support a parliamentary inquiry into the alleged irregularities. The situation continues to evolve, with both the ERE case and the fraudulent training courses posing significant challenges to the government’s credibility and integrity.
