A year after the crisis in the Consell de Formentera, its president, Llorenç Córdoba, speaks in this exclusive interview with La Voz de Ibiza. This is the second part of the interview in which he pronounces on different aspects of the unprecedented situation that is lived in the pitiusa menor.
- Córdoba, one year after the historic crisis in the Consell de Formentera: “I regret having brought Sa Unió to power”.
- Cordoba and the crisis of governance: threats, failed protests and the political game on Formentera
- Hidden interests and controversial licenses: the Formentera coastline scandal
UCO investigation and suspicions of systematic corruption among civil servants, politicians and businessmen
-What news is there about the UCO investigation, if there is any that can be reported?
–Not many. They are probably still investigating.
–Does the Consell de Formentera receive requests for documentation or any official request?
–No.
-Have you taken statements from new witnesses or investigated persons?
–As far asI know, no. As far as I know, at leastthree people have testified. As far as I know, at least three people have testified: Mrs. Verónica Castelló, who spent about three hours, according to what she said; Mrs. Cristina Costa, and also the secretary.
-Have you not had a statement taken?
–No.
-Are you aware of any other persons having their statements taken?
–I have been told yes. What I don’t know is who they are.
–Civil servants?
–I do not know. What I told the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office is that the doors of the Consell de Formentera are open. Q Ask for what you need and we will provide it.
-Somehow, I interpret his press conference in which he revealed the details of his complaint as a denunciation of a systemic corruption in the Consell de Formentera, which would involve the PSOE, Gent per Formentera and Sa Unió, in addition to a clear participation of officials and certain businessmen.
–The indications and suspicions point in that direction. I have always said it, and I am sorry because it is something very serious, and I cannot and do not want to be a judge. But my obligation is that, when I see a series of actions in which I believe there may be indications of crimes, I must bring it to the attention of those who should investigate. It seems that the indications confirm it.
-Would this alleged systemic corruption be behind the pressure to oust him or make him leave?
–Personally, I have come to that conclusion. I think so, because I do not understand certain things if it is not from this point of view, nor certain changes of attitude. L he opposition, when Sa Unió tried to throw me out without evidence, behaved in an institutional and respectful manner. The moment the subject of the kiosks came up, the attitude of the opposition changed completely.
. Ahí pensé: “Esto no lo veo claro”.
I have indications of things that perhaps have not been done well. I don’t want to say that it is corruption or something so serious, but that there are things that have not been done correctly.
After that, it happened that both Gent per Formentera and PSOE joined and right now the three parties go together.
-All this is very curious in Formentera.
-The complicity between Alcaraz and Mr. (Rafa) Ramirez (secretary general of the PSOE of Formentera) is more than evident. Both are maneuvering behind the backs of their own parties.
Code of Ethics
–What do you mean? -Why are they putting so much interest in the Code of Ethics? Because, not having anything concrete one year later, they need to fabricate something or find an excuse to justify a motion of censure. Because right now nobody would understand that there would be a motion of censure. If there were, the most logical thing is that it would be from Gent per Formentera, who are the ones who have a more moderate position and are proving to be more intelligent. I do not think they are interested politically at this time. If there was no interest for the seat, Compromís would not have boycotted the motion of censure that GxF tried.
-It would be relatively easy and of little political cost for the PSOE or GxF to cede one councilor or one each to assume the cost between the two, so that sa Sa Unió presents the motion of censure and then abstain….
-A minority government of Sa Unió is not wanted by Gent per Formentera. A ven now, Gent per Formentera is not interested in governing when it has practically assured the victory in the next elections. It is not convenient for them. I do not say that they will do it with absolute majority, but with a little luck they could govern with the PSOE. They prefer to let all the wear and tear fall on the center-right. The story and it has a certain foundation is that the center-right when it has had the opportunity to manage the Consell has done very badly.
Mafia-like practices of Alcaraz and Serra: “All limits have been crossed”.
-What do you think about Alcaraz and Javier Serra going to the chief of staff of the Hospital de Formentera to ask for the dismissal of a female doctor for supporting him in social networks?
–WhatI have seen with this crisis is that you have crossed the boundaries of politics to get into personal issues. This shows two things: how you are as a person and that politically you have nothing solid. At the beginning of this crisis, they were calling friends of mine from childhood to ask if I had any dirt, if I had done anything wrong. I have proof and they have confirmed it. It has been played very, very dirty on a personal level. And it is already clear that it has not been something punctual, but something widespread. It is the modus operandi they have. Mr. Alcaraz physically assaulted the press chief of the Consell. I was surprised that nobody came out and that the rest of the media did not publish it. They were there in front of him and did not say anything.
Who says that these same practices are not being carried out by Alcaraz against his own councilors? Because it is known that there have been threats against the councilors themselves so that they do not return and so that a Governing Board cannot be held.
The complaint that no one has seen and the meeting with the hooded man
-Do you believe that Sa Unió has filed a lawsuit against you?
-Yes. Not that they have any basis. Sometimes they tell me it’s because of the hammocks, then they tell me it’s because of the kiosks. I have not participated in the issue of the kiosks; I have stayed away. And, in the hammocks, while I have been there, four lots of hammocks have been awarded, if I am not mistaken, which were left deserted, and a sailing school. All with favorable technical reports.
These awards were made by the Board of Directors.
-What was the meeting with the alleged hooded man about?
-He was not a hooded man. It was raining that day and that person entered the Consell with his hood up. “And if he had entered with an umbrella, would they have said he was carrying a knife?”. Then he took it off. Everyone recognized him.
-What did you discuss at the meeting?
-It was a political meeting, that hooded man had already had meetings with Sa Unió. His purpose was to provide more information to the ministers who had to make a decision on the beach bars because it seemed that they did not understand my point of view and that I was against their being awarded because of the high patrimonial risk that the Consell was running.
-So it was a meeting for the missing eight lots of chiringuitos?
–No, there was more talk about hammocks than beach bars. –But were all the hammock lots already awarded?
–Yes, but as with the beach bars, there were many that did not comply. And here there is a very serious problem because this specification of conditions has a very, very, very great risk of being annulled. If these specifications are annulled, Formentera will have to pay compensation. What we had to do was to try to keep the cost for the Consell as low as possible.
-What cost are we talking about?
-I don’t have it calculated.
-Millions?
-Yes, yes. The cost would be for 50 lots, within which there are 8 chiringuitos that have a high turnover. The loss of profit of those 50 lots for 6 or 7 years could be a huge figure.
That is why I was trying not to award the eight chiringuitos, the most expensive lots. Sa Unió wanted to award them at all costs. If they have to pay compensation, it will be their responsibility. They were more than warned.
-Back to the hooded man, what happened at that meeting?
-Nothing special. Mr. Portas, Mrs. Castelló, and Mrs. Cristina Costa were on the phone. This person explained how she saw the contest. There was nothing else. The surprise was when, in the afternoon, Sa Unió came out saying that “Llorenç has made a trap and has brought a hooded man”. And I thought, “Oh, what the hell! But what kind of story is this?
-Well, it seems that he has been accused of bribery, prevarication, embezzlement….
-I find it incredible to think that he could have committed so many crimes in such a short time, honestly. I don’t understand it. I suppose they will have to prove it with evidence, but I don’t understand where it’s going. Because when they told me it was for that meeting, I thought, “No, this will be to trick me, it will be for something else.” Honestly, I’m really looking forward to this coming out to find out what really happened there.
-Have you had any legal action related to this alleged complaint?
–No, no, nobody called me, nobody told me anything, nobody told me anything.
-You have not received any notification?
–Nothing.
-Regarding the contest under suspicion, why not take to Plenary the decision to rescind the awards, considering the blatant and continuous irregularities in the kiosks and other concessionaires, given that the specifications are poorly made and impossible to comply with?
–Now we are working on it. Meetings have been held, not to go against the kiosk owners, but to look for solutions. Even they have been granted an extension so that they can finish submitting all the necessary documentation, because, so far, no one meets the requirements.. At the end of this period to deliver the documents, the Conselleria will open the pertinent proceedings and the corresponding sanctions will be applied. There are some cases that will directly involve the termination of the contract. Otherwise, it would be unfair to the others. This is fraud. It is a continuous fraud, and it is something that I had already discussed with my officials. They were telling me no, that everything was correct. And now it turns out that it was not correct.
For example, the sailing school that did not have authorization from the Balearic Government. I did not know it either, and I consider it very serious that it has been operating without authorization from the Balearic Government.
-Didthe Excel file with the scores appear?
–As far as I know, he hasn’t shown up.
-Are you surprised?
-Yes, it surprises me a lot. Nothing should surprise you here anymore, but when it seems like you’ve seen everything, something new always comes along. It would be good if it did. It’s a file that has important information. It should be on some computer. We will have to investigate on which computer it was on, who handled it and where it might be. But any information you make related to someone should be in a file. On the other hand, a beach lot score, you have to justify where it comes from. It’s not enough to just crunch the numbers. You have to demonstrate how that score was made. So, it is very serious that, when we ask for that Excel to verify what had happened, if there was any error or transcription mistake from the time it was scored until it was moved to another place, it turns out that that Excel is not there. When documents start disappearing… First in Urbanism, and now here. It all goes along the same lines: evidence that there are things that are not clear. And when you try to find out if they are really unclear or if it is paranoia, it turns out that it is indeed unclear.
