The latest setback for Ábalos in Congress over his connection to the 'Koldo case'

The bad news for Ábalos doesn't cease. The Congress of Deputies gave the green light this Wednesday to the formal investigation against the former Minister of Transport for his alleged involvement in the "Koldo case."

345 votes in favor and none against. The Plenary approved the request that the Supreme Court had made to advance the investigations into the accusations against Ábalos.

This decision is a new blow for the socialist former minister. Ábalos had tried to postpone the vote by arguing that the Supreme Court had not yet solved the appeal he had filed.

The former minister intended to maintain his parliamentary immunity until that appeal was solved. However, the Congress of Deputies turned its back on him by rejecting his request as it was not considered appropriate.

The process to grant the request had already received unanimous support from the Statute of Deputies Committee last week. Manuel Cobo, president of that Committee and member of the PP, was responsible for presenting the conclusions during the debate in the Plenary. Cobo highlighted the importance of institutions responding with transparency and decisiveness to any case of corruption.

Investigations into the "Koldo Case" Advance

The "Koldo case" continues with new details. Yesterday it was revealed that the National Court has ordered Judge Ismael Moreno to summon Carmen Pano and her daughter to testify as witnesses. The investigation into the alleged illicit commission payments in public mask contracts during the pandemic continues.

Pano had stated in 2020, in an interview with a digital media outlet, that she delivered 90,000 euros at the PSOE headquarters in Madrid. This testimony is included thanks to the appeal filed by the party Iustitia Europa, which acts as a popular prosecution in the case. It highlights the importance of Pano's statements in connecting the key points of the plot.