On Monday, Salvador Illa appeared before a committee investigating mask purchases during the pandemic, but it was clear from the start that he was there as the leading candidate for the upcoming Catalan elections. The aggressive questioning came not from the PP or Vox, but from ERC spokesperson Gabriel Rufián. Illa attempted to maintain his composure, but Rufián’s persistence led to moments of tension. Illa mainly focused on his actions as Minister of Health and distanced himself from the actions of other ministries in his party, such as the case involving José Luis Ábalos’ advisor Koldo García.
The clash with PP spokesperson Elías Bendodo centered on how individuals involved in the corruption scandal managed to infiltrate the ministry. Bendodo questioned how this was allowed to happen, citing a case where a contract was awarded to a company involved in the scandal. Illa explained that it was part of a framework agreement to guide administrations seeking medical supplies, and the contract with the company in question was never finalized. Despite this, Bendodo accused Illa of lying.
Questions from other parties about Illa’s knowledge or suspicions regarding Koldo García’s actions were met with deflections. Illa maintained that it was not his responsibility to oversee the actions of other ministries. The discussion also touched on issues in the Canary Islands related to unfulfilled contracts for masks. Illa defended the actions of his colleague Ángel Víctor Torres, stating that other European countries also faced similar challenges with Chinese suppliers.
Rufián continued to criticize Illa for contracts that were not fulfilled and agreements with inexperienced companies in the healthcare sector. Illa defended his ministry’s actions by stating that all administrations relied on companies with connections in China and that only 3% of contracts had compliance issues. Despite Illa’s responses, Rufián remained combative in his questioning, suggesting that repeated instances of being deceived reflected poorly on a public official.
After facing tough questioning from ERC, Junts, and Vox, Illa will also testify before the Senate in a parallel committee. The plan to call prosecutors in front of the committee was abandoned after a request from the Attorney General’s Office. The focus of the questioning was on the actions taken during the pandemic, specifically regarding mask purchases, and Illa faced scrutiny from various parties on his handling of the situation. The committee meeting highlighted the upcoming Catalan elections and the political implications of Illa’s former role as Minister of Health in the region.
