The Spanish Court of Auditors has concluded that there were “various administrative and budgetary irregularities related to the execution of the sponsorship contract” for the Cala Mijas Festival between Mijas Town Hall and the event promoter, Last Tour in a judicial decree that notes that the matters in question “are still in the administrative resolution or collection phase”, and therefore it is not currently appropriate to initiate reimbursement procedure, “without prejudice to the consequences that these irregularities may give rise to in other administrative or legal contexts”.The investigation began following a report submitted by the former comptroller of the Town Hall to the auditing body.
“The Court of Auditors supports both what we reported while in opposition, when we claimed there had been irregularities in the contract awarded by the former socialist mayor, Josele González, and the actions we have taken since we entered government”, said councillor for Finance, Mario Bravo (PP), on Wednesday 18th.
The councillor stressed that the judicial decree by the Court of Auditors “represents a clear and indisputable endorsement of the process the Town Hall is following to claim from the company what is specifically stipulated in the contract, in defence of the interests and money of Mijas residents, as is our duty”. Bravo criticised the “obscurantism and lack of transparency” with which the former PSOE mayor negotiated with Last Tour and handled “everything related to the Cala Mijas Festival, disregarding the comptroller’s objections and bypassing the necessary administrative procedures.” He called on the Socialists, now in opposition, to “for once, stand on the side of Mijas residents and stop spreading lies and manipulating the issue of the Cala Fest”.
The ruling from the Court of Auditors highlights that the Mijas comptroller identified several shortcomings in the management of public funds related to the sponsorship contract for the Cala Mijas Festival. These include: the improper payment by the Town Hall of invoices for transport services linked to the event, as the Town Hall is not the festival’s owner; the lack of evidence regarding the settlement and income that the event should have generated; irregularities in the sponsorship payments made by the Town Hall; and the assumption of costs that were improperly charged to the municipal budget.
In its provisional settlement report, the delegated investigating officer of the Court of Auditors concluded that, although there were various administrative and budgetary irregularities in the execution of the sponsorship contract, none of the cases analysed revealed actual financial damage that would have an impact on the Town Hall’s accounts. The actions in question were either covered by valid, unchallenged administrative agreements, which enjoy the presumption of legality, or are still in the process of being resolved administratively or through collection procedures by the Town Hall.
The body has closed the case, although an appeal may be lodged within fifteen days of notification, which for the Town Hall was dated 13th June.
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