The second day of the non-permanent commission of inquiry into public procurement of the Autonomous Administration followed the same line as the previous one, with reproaches for the forms being the constant tone, although on this occasion the object of the session had more importance. In addition to the alleged additional cost of 470 million for the Vigo Álvaro Cunqueiro hospital, the hirings made during the pandemic were of great importance during this Tuesday’s session, in which the opposition accuses handpicked hiring and favoritism with the personal entourage of the PP with companies such as Mappe Asesores, Universal Support or Sibucu.
The first appearance was given by Jesús Vázquez Almuiña, who was Minister of Health between 2015 and 2020, who defended both the decisions taken in the Vigo health zone regarding Álvaro Cunqueiro, which were “adequate”, and those taken during the health emergency. In this sense, he highlighted the unprecedented nature of the health crisis, a “white paper” in management, which revealed the weakness of the health production chain and forced many governments, including the Galician, to depend from Asia for the supply of materials such as masks at almost 100%. For all these reasons, knowledge of the Asian market, he said, is a matter highly valued by contracted companies, in addition to their solvency, essential to avoid shortages. Of course, he stressed that Galicia did not advance the money, thus avoiding situations that occurred in other communities “that paid for material that they never received”, and that, due to of the anticipation with which the Xunta acted, in many cases it was acquired at a lower cost than within the framework of the State -sometimes, he specifies, with a saving of 50%-.
The “solvency” of companies
During the first six months of the pandemic, he said, more than 55 million masks, more than 100 million vinyl nitrile gloves, about 2 million non-sterile gowns and about 800,000 rapid Covid tests were tested. purchased. All this, he affirmed, is in line with the European Commission’s guidelines on the use of the public procurement framework in the emergency situation linked to the health crisis, of April 2020, which emphasize flexibility ” necessary” available to public buyers. authorities can contact potential contractors inside and outside the EU by telephone, email or in person to hire the agents who have the best contacts in the market, ensuring that countries have the reserves necessary and can guarantee immediate delivery.
A solvency which, in the case of Sibuco, was called into question by the nationalists, who in turn denounced the fact that this company was created in 2020. “Its technical solvency could not be proven because it “didn’t exist,” said Óscar Ínsua, who continued. emphasizing that the “problem” is not “emergency hiring”; but this would rather be done through “small contracts”: 51 in 202, 25 in 2021 and 13 in 2022.
However, in turn, the popular Rodríguez Martínez emphasized that the hiring was done “without formulating any objection to legality” according to the Consello de Contas, a “mantra” that the opposition, he said, uses as if it was an “epiphany”. of the announcement of the corruption of the Popular Party of Galicia. For its part, as the former councilor explained, the solvency criterion was accredited with the delivery of non-defective masks: the Executive made the request and this company was “the first” to respond. A company which, “moreover”, he said, then “entered the batch or framework contract of the Ministry, just like Mappe Asesores” and Universal Support.
Covid trackers
It is precisely the contract with this company that has been one of the main criticisms of the socialists, reiterating that the brother-in-law of the national leader of the PP is its commercial director. “I am not talking about the acquisition of masks or respirators at the height of the pandemic, no, I am talking about a follow-up contract concluded a year after the declaration of the emergency by the UN and in which more than 15 million euros,” criticized socialist Patricia Iglesias. “It cannot be normalized” that the personal and family entourage of senior PP officials “like Mr. Feijóo” can “receive preferential treatment and favoritism in public procurement,” he said.
A decision which, as Almuiña justified, was based on a very important criterion for the administration of the time: allowing communication with citizens, after the information telephone line had been blocked. “The solvency is seen day by day,” he affirmed, and at that time, he indicated, “we had to look for a telemarketing company, which was not aware of the pandemics, which could provide us with between 70 and 80 workers in three days at full operation”. “Galicia has been a reference in the pandemic, and many autonomous communities have approached us to request the protocols,” he said, defending the processes. purchase “scrupulous” with regulations adapted to the serious situation, unique in history” which made the “triumph” possible. . of Galicia on this issue.
