PSOE, Más Madrid and Podemos block Koldo and Llorente's summons in an investigation

The municipal groups of PSOE, Más Madrid, and Podemos rejected on Wednesday the proposal for the investigation commission of the Empresa Municipal del Suelo de Leganés (EMSULE) to summon Koldo García and former mayor Santiago Llorente to appear. The purpose of these summonses was to clarify the awarding of the construction of 108 homes to a company allegedly linked to the so-called 'Koldo plot,' according to the newspaper El Español.

Additionally, these groups also voted against calling to testify the members of the EMSULE Board of Directors who approved the awarding in 2023. Among them are Javier Márquez, current socialist spokesperson, along with Laura Oliva and Elena Ayllón, both from PSOE; Fran Muñoz, from Leganemos-Más Madrid; and Enrique Morago, from Ciudadanos.

This decision has caused controversy in the local political sphere, as other sectors are demanding greater transparency in the management of public resources and in the contract awarding processes.

The local government of Leganés (PP-ULEG) proposed in the investigation commission of the Empresa Municipal del Suelo de Leganés (EMSULE) the appearance of several people to clarify the awarding of 108 public homes to a company linked to the so-called 'Koldo plot.' This awarding, carried out by the previous PSOE government in May 2023, was granted to the construction company Levantina, Ingeniería y Construcción (LIC), despite presenting a less favorable economic offer, with a cost over one million euros (1.1 million dollars) higher than other bidders. The company abandoned the work at the end of 2023 after entering pre-bankruptcy proceedings.

The proposal for appearances included former mayor Santiago Llorente, Koldo García, and the members of the EMSULE Board of Directors who approved the awarding. However, the municipal groups of PSOE, Más Madrid, and Podemos voted against these summonses, which has caused criticism from the local government.

Criticism for lack of transparency

Carlos Delgado, president of the commission and first deputy mayor, described the decision as "unprecedented," noting that until now, decisions in the commission had been made unanimously and without restrictions on appearances. "It's striking that, just when it's proposed to summon Koldo García, the former mayor, and the EMSULE board members who approved the awarding, the left-wing parties change their stance and block the initiative," Delgado stated.

He also denounced that this stance favors "a climate of impunity and opacity" in a matter that, according to him, demands total transparency. "From the City Council, we will continue to act responsibly to guarantee the general interest," he added.

The EMSULE Board votes against its involvement in the 'Koldo Case'

In a parallel decision, the EMSULE Board of Directors, with the votes against from PSOE, Más Madrid, Podemos, and VOX, rejected on Tuesday the proposal of its president, Javier Oporto, for the municipal entity to be involved in the judicial process of the 'Koldo Case.'

These decisions have caused an intense debate in the local political sphere, where sectors of the municipal government are demanding greater accountability for the management of public resources.