Former Minister of Transport defends the solvency of Management Solutions and reduces Koldo García’s role to that of a «ministry advisor»
Former Minister of Transport, José Luis Ábalos, said on Monday that he had «no relationship» with the Government of the Canary Islands, neither politically nor administratively, to mediate the purchase of healthcare material.
«I have nothing to do with it,» he said in a appearance before the investigative committee of the Parliament of the Canary Islands regarding the purchase of healthcare material during the pandemic, where he also stated that he did not know «how and through whom» Management Solutions — a company involved in the Koldo case — arrived in the islands, a company that invoiced up to 12 million euros.
Ábalos pointed out that there will be «no evidence» of a mediating role between the company and the regional government and emphasized that he never had any conversations of that nature. «I was not there to deal with contracts from other administrations, I was not there for small contracts,» he added.
«I never spoke with any member of the Canarian Government before, during, or after,» he said.
The former minister, who considered invoking his right not to testify due to being under investigation by the Supreme Court, eventually answered questions from parliamentary groups because he does not feel «concerned» about the ‘mask case’, the contracts with Management Solutions, or PCR tests through a laboratory company.
He highlighted that Management Solutions demonstrated its solvency in acquiring healthcare equipment during the pandemic, something that regular suppliers could not certify. The company even assumed the risk and advanced the money, and he only found out later about some deficiencies with certain material in the Canary Islands.
Additionally, he emphasized that his ministry, through the undersecretary, had a protocol where suppliers could only access the money from a «blocked» account once the material was delivered correctly.
He recalled receiving emails «from enthusiastic and adventurous people» during the pandemic but decided to make purchases through Ports of the State because it had credit and a more flexible contracting model.
«I can understand that we were all looking for contact and a guarantee, and if they have fulfilled it — referring to Management Solutions — it can be a reference,» he said, while defending his ministry’s management, buying masks for 2.50 euros when other institutions, like the City Council of Madrid, spent over six euros.
He even joked that «even doing it right,» he is being investigated by the Supreme Court. «Look where I am, it all comes from there, from a complaint because certain procedures were not followed,» he commented.
«I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CANARY ISLANDS»
The former minister admitted that he spoke «a lot» with the Government of the Canary Islands because there was «a lot of panic» as the archipelago had the first case of COVID-19 and tourism was paralyzed due to mobility restrictions. «I was very concerned about the Canary Islands, I worked a lot for the Canary Islands,» he emphasized.
He stated that there is «no trace of anything» indicating that he received commissions — «things cannot be hidden» — and he criticized the PP deputy, Fernando Enseñat, for «accusations» about his alleged involvement in a scheme to sell healthcare material involving his ministry, public companies, and the regional governments of the Balearic and Canary Islands. «He has no evidence,» he retorted.
Ábalos downplayed Koldo García’s role to that of a «ministry advisor,» mainly focused on his travels, but he dismissed him as a «right-hand man,» insisting that he knows «nothing» about the WhatsApp messages linking Koldo to the intermediary Víctor de Aldama and the former Canarian president, Ángel Víctor Torres.
He only mentioned that De Aldama was an external advisor to Air Europa and had a «long-standing relationship» with Koldo García. He also complained that he is going through an «exceptional» period in his life with a «torrent of emotions and sensations» after a long political career that took him from clandestinity to a ministry. «What I am experiencing is very special,» he emphasized.
Ábalos left the Parliament without speaking to the media after a nearly two-hour intervention where he acknowledged that, for his procedural interest, «any lawyer» would have advised him not to testify. However, he preferred to do so because investigative committees are not «parallel courts» but bodies to determine «political responsibilities.»
