MEP Dolors Montserrat Questions EU Legality of €475 Million Air Europa Bailout
Dolors Montserrat, Vice President of the European People's Party (EPP) Group in the European Parliament, has submitted a formal inquiry to the European Commission regarding the €475 million bailout granted to Air Europa in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic. She raised concerns over potential violations of EU principles of impartiality, legality, and good governance.
Montserrat alleges that the approval process for the public aid may have been influenced by direct intervention from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, his wife Begoña Gómez, and several ministers, including Jesús Ábalos, María Jesús Montero, and Nadia Calviño, the current President of the European Investment Bank.
In her written question to Brussels, the MEP highlighted the involvement of Manuel de la Rocha, a senior official at the Prime Minister’s Office at the time, in the bailout decision. Montserrat emphasized that De la Rocha lacked any formal legal authority over transport or business solvency. She also pointed out that the rescue was approved at a speed five times faster than other bailouts under the same framework, suggesting preferential treatment.
According to the Spanish Court of Auditors, out of the 73 bailouts granted during the same period, Air Europa was the only case involving direct participation from the Prime Minister’s Office. Montserrat argued that this could constitute political interference and a breach of the principle of equality before the law.
“This political intervention in a technical body, without clear legal basis, could violate the principles of administrative separation of powers and legality, in contravention of EU law,” Montserrat stated.
She also raised the possibility of a conflict of interest, citing ties between Air Europa and Begoña Gómez, who reportedly received professional support from the airline. “The Air Europa bailout reeks of political favoritism and high-level conflict of interest. It perfectly illustrates how Pedro Sánchez has eroded the standards of good governance required by the rule of law,” she claimed.
Montserrat further criticized the structuring of the bailout as two separate loans, which may have been designed to circumvent prior notification to the European Commission and formal oversight.
In her submission, she asked whether the Commission intends to launch a formal investigation to assess the bailout’s compliance with EU law and what steps will be taken to ensure transparency in the use of emergency funds during the health crisis.
“The truth always comes to light, and Sánchez’s era of secrecy is coming to an end,” she concluded.
AUTOR
Contando la aviación desde marzo del año 2000. Fundador y Managing Editor de Aviacionline. Base: ROS Origen: RES
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