Nina Chausow
A DEVIOUS method of setting up bogus training centres overnight has become central to a massive €3 billion Junta fraud investigation.
It has emerged that a lorry would be dispatched from Sevilla full of desks, beds, computers and other office furniture, once a tip-off about an official inspection was made.
Set up rapidly, the centre would then be disbanded the next day and packed off for inspections in other parts of Andalucia, a Cadiz judge has been told.
By this method, former Junta minister Angel Ojeda alone is personally said to have gleaned €50 million in grants.
The setting up of government-subsidised courses, around Andalucia, rarely involved any teaching or instruction. They were mere vehicles to scam grants from central government and the European Union.
Substantial sums of money were granted once an official inspection was made.
According to four ex-employees of Ojeda, the former minister and ex-tax authority boss, received advance notice of the inspections through his connections at the Junta.
One employee admitted: “After the inspections the same truck would pick up the furniture and take it away, I think to Sevilla.”
It is part of the on-going investigation by the police’s anti-fraud unit UDEF, which is estimated could be the biggest corruption investigation in Spanish history.
Sadly, Spain in a nutshell.
The Junta needs to be disbanded and the EU needs to stop giving money to Spain. Mr Ojeda will most likely get off too. Depressing.
How about getting rid of expensive, bloated, regional governments altogether and replacing them with something smaller and more cost effective like councils. It couldn’t be any worse could it.