The former director of the Balearic Health Service, Manuel Palomino, acknowledged this Monday in Congress that in April 2020 the Ministry of Transport passed them the contact of Koldo García Izaguirre. And that it was the then advisor of José Luis Ábalos who called him and put him in contact with the company Soluciones de Gestión for the purchase of masks worth 3.7 million euros.
This was explained during his intervention in the congressional commission that investigates emergency contracts during a pandemic. In his initial presentation, he listed the main suppliers of medical supplies to the Balearic Government. “At the worst moment of the pandemic he contacted more than 73 companies,” he added. He insists that Management Solutions only appears in a single contract.
Palomino, who in April 2020 was Budget Director of the Islands’ Health Service (IB-Salut), was promoted to the general direction of the service in July of that year. Remember that then received a call “from the Ministry of Development” to find out if they needed masks because they were going to make a big purchase.
As he said, he is not able to remember who made that 2020 call, but in any case, he stressed that he did not know anyone in the Ministry. That person told him that they were preparing an accumulated purchase of materials in case they needed masks. The Balearic Islands wanted FFP2 and KN95 masks, so he sent a message to the cell phone that his interlocutor gave him.
And that phone number was that of Koldo García, who responded with a call introducing himself as an advisor to the Ministry. According to him, Koldo referred him to the businessman Íñigo Rotaeche, whose telephone number and email address he provided.
“From there you are put in contact with the Purchasing Subdirectorate and the usual procedure is followed.” They purchased 1,480,600 units of KN95 masks at a price of 2.50 each.
At the request of the PSOE, Palomino has stressed that President Francina Armengol “never” was interested in this purchase or any other health service purchase.
But for the PP spokesperson, José Vicente Marí, the Balearic Government acted to “protect” the plot. He claims that the Balearic health service declared an emergency procurement of masks that was not urgent. They then paid the full amount despite knowing that the masks did not meet the conditions and even certified their quality.
The socialists have brought up the claim that the Balearic Government initiated for 2.6 million euros to this company linked to the Koldo plot. It occurred, however, three years after the purchase of the masks. The socialists have asked Palomino if the new ‘popular’ Government of Marga Prohens was aware of the complaint file when its administration began. Palomino stated that he assumes responsibility for the issuance of the file and communicates it to the next administration.
He has also proclaimed that he is a “socialist militant, with great pride,” but has refused to criticize his successor in office. “I have never criticized anyone who preceded or succeeded me,” she said.
During the interrogation of the VOX representative, Jorge Campos, Palomino indicated that the masks purchased from Soluciones de Gestión were purchased for “home use.” Campos believes that, upon realizing that “they had been scammed,” they began to defend that the masks were ordered for “home” use, but it was not true.
The defendant has questioned this “story” and has complained that they are trying to “try” him before the “criminal events happen.”