The mayoress of Sitges is arrested in an operation against corruption for irregular contracts

New case of alleged municipal corruption in Catalonia. Several days after the establishment of the new consistory in Sitges, in which ERC once again renews its government, agents from the Economic and Fiscal Crime Unit (Udef) of the National Police have been simultaneously searching several municipal buildings in the town since this morning, searching for information on alleged irregular contracts.

The agents arrested the mayoress of Sitges, Aurora Carbonell (ERC), the ERC councilor Jaume Monasterio, another former municipal mayor as well as 8 more people including city council staff, some retired, and individuals. In the afternoon they were released with charges and with the obligation to appear before the court when required.. Among those arrested are technicians from the Beaches area and the former head of the Territory department.

The Investigating Court number 8 of Vilanova y la Geltrú ordered these entries and records, such as that of the municipal area of promotion and urban planning or that of information technology. The agents are looking for public service contracts from the last five years that could have been given in an allegedly fraudulent way, according to police sources.

Specifically, the investigating court 8 of Vilanova i la Geltrú has opened investigation proceedings, since May 2022, for the alleged crimes of prevarication, embezzlement and documentary falsification, among others, where the actions of the City Council are being investigated. of Sitges regarding the Taula del Tercer Sector de Sitges-Garraf association and a cooperative of the population in the award of subsidies and minor contracts between 2017 and 2022. The court launched the investigation after receiving a police report.

At the moment there are 13 investigated, the mayoress and 8 councilors of the Sitges City Council of this and other legislatures, as well as four individuals who were part of one of the Cooperatives investigated. The records of this Wednesday serve to requisition documentation related to the investigated entities. These entries and searches are being carried out simultaneously in the homes and annexed spaces of these two entities, in the private homes of the four investigated related to the Cooperative and also in different spaces and departments of the Sitges City Council.

A loss of more than 600,000 euros of public funds is estimated between direct subsidies and split contracts to companies and organizations. The detainees were transferred to police stations in La Verneda, in Barcelona, and were later released after declaring.

In a statement, the Sitges City Council states that “the facts under investigation had already been analyzed internally. The City Council, once possible external irregularities were detected, commissioned legal professionals to clarify the facts, stopping the subsidies, reviewing the files and starting the process for the return of the subsidies that were not fully justified.. The City Council has reports that ensure the absence of administrative and even less criminal responsibilities, and that demonstrate the diligence of the Sitges City Council”.

In addition, they recall that the Consistory “is a transparent institution, which has a rigorous ethical code that ensures the highest standards of integrity” and they add that “we make ourselves available to the authorities to show our full collaboration in everything that is necessary. We regret the concern that has been generated around this matter and we reiterate our willingness to collaborate with justice at all times.”

The Table of entities of the Third Social Sector of Catalonia also denied having any relationship with the entity of the same name but from Sitges-Garraf, beyond the coincidence in the denomination. This Table of entities demands that “the investigation go to the bottom of the issue and that the facts be clarified as soon as possible because the work and contribution of third sector entities to society and in favor of people in vulnerable situations is essential “.

“Facts like these cannot call into question the impact of the projects and actions of the more than 3,000 non-profit entities that work to eradicate poverty, exclusion and inequalities in Catalonia,” says the entity that brings together 35 federations and large organizations, which represent thousands of non-profit social associations, distributed throughout Catalonia, and which serve nearly two million vulnerable people. The organization that is under suspicion is a “direct service provision entity” and not a “group of entities”.

ERC rules in Sitges after its candidate Aurora Carbonell was proclaimed mayor for the second consecutive time last Saturday after an agreement with other political groups such as Sitges Grup Independent, Verds-ECP or FETS.