It just gets better. Or worse, if you happen to be one of those implicated in the Son Oms case. Not only is it getting better, it is dragging in some bizarre elements, like for example an heir to the Bulgarian throne. Didn't know there was one? No, nor did I. But there is. Kyril of Bulgaria, as he is known. And how, you may ask, does some prince or other from an all-but-defunct royal family get embroiled in what "El Mundo" is calling the biggest scandal of political corruption in the history of the Balearics (which in itself probably takes some doing)? Well, you have to realise to whom Kyril is married, albeit they have not long separated. The missus? Her name is Rosario, Rosario Nadal. Sounds familiar? Dead right. She is the cousin of Miquel Nadal, the now ex-tourism minister.
Though not directly related to the Son Oms case, the police are raking through all manner of stuff, one aspect being the purchase of a finca in Llucmajor, a purchase made by Kyril and Rosario, for which Miquel Nadal and his law firm acted. The investigators want to know why nearly 3 million euros were paid for land, the value of which had seemingly increased by around 700%. They are also keen to know about movements of money allegedly involving tax havens. Miquel Nadal's firm coined some 370 grand as a consequence of this purchase. The authorities are following different lines of enquiry, one is that the land was bought speculatively as it could have been subject to some development, another - and this is where it gets even stranger - is that the finca could have somehow been to the benefit of the Unió Mallorquina party in the construction of the golf course in Campos. I confess that I have got lost; I'm not entirely sure how this might all have benefited the UM, but the authorities clearly seemed to believe that it might have done, though now they are backtracking on this theory, given the distance between the finca and the golf course that was planned for Son Baco in neighbouring Campos. Kyril, for his part, is denying that there is anything wrong.
With all the flak flying around, it was inevitable - as I had suggested by saying his position had become untenable - that Nadal should have resigned, which he did yesterday. This might just be enough to hold the coalition regional government in place, though President Antich has announced that the current pact with the UM will be broken, meaning a likely teaming up with the Partido Popular, despite the fact that his party (the PSOE socialists) and the PP are poles apart politically. Another option, that of an election, is also being touted, not least by "The Bulletin". It could be necessary, certainly if a new coalition cannot be established, though I am unconvinced that it would solve anything because the problem runs much deeper.
This is an extraordinary situation. Even by Mallorcan standards, the scandal is potentially immense, and one has to be reminded that, in addition to the last president of the islands being under investigation for a different case, the Son Oms one involves the former leader of the council and two former leaders of the Unió Mallorquina as well as the current one. It doesn't get much worse (or better, if you prefer a bit of corrupt knockabout). Maria Munar, that former leader of the council, was always close to Nadal. He was very much her "boy" when it came to the party leadership succession. Political closeness is one thing, family ties another. Munar's husband has been mentioned, Nadal's wife's cousin has been mentioned, in addition to his own cousin. You begin to see a pattern emerging, one that appears to bring us, not irregularly, to scandals and specifically to the biggest scandal of the lot. It is deeply troubling.
QUIZ
Yesterday's title - Nadal means Christmas in Catalan, and as there have been suggestions as to, erm, unaccounted money, then there's your black - allegedly. Today's title - simple one for you today.
(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)
Showing posts with label Unió Mallorquina leaders implicated. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Unió Mallorquina leaders implicated. Show all posts
Friday, December 04, 2009
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Black Christmas
The Son Oms case has led to calls for an election in the Balearics. The argument goes that, with two members of the government (Nadal and Grimalt) implicated, it - the government - cannot continue. A point to bear in mind, however, is that Nadal was already implicated and has indeed made an appearance before a judge. Does one more member of the same party and government necessitate an election, therefore?
An election might clear the air, for a while, but that air has a distinct stench to it. It is rancid, the smell of a rotten core. Who's next? Name a new government and who might be caught up in some future case, whether they are guilty of anything or not? At every political level in Mallorca, there is some misdeed - town halls, Council of Mallorca, government. The biggest shock of this latest case is that Maria Munar is again being cited, and she's not even a member of the government, just the speaker of the parliament. One other of those named, Vicens, was suspended some while ago from the UM party; he's implicated in another scandal as well.
Nevertheless, and notwithstanding the fact that no-one has been formally charged with anything, the fetid whiff that hangs over Mallorcan politics does probably demand some sort of public action. If that's to be an election, then so be it. The alternative is that those implicated should all resign, pending any investigation. One does wonder quite how credible Nadal is. Tourism minister, it is he who deals with the TUIs of this world. One can imagine what might go through their minds. "Isn't he the bloke who's ... ?"
The case has moved on, evidence seemingly growing against Munar and Flaquer, the current leader of the Unió Mallorquina. The police and the tax authority are investigating, as "The Diario" puts it, offences of misappropriation, trafficking of influence, bribery and fraud. The sums involved have risen as well; nearly five million euros are now being mentioned. The tax authority speaks of "possible connivance", and fingers in particular the tourism minister. He seems also to be wrapped up in some real-estate dealings which involve Munar's husband, and is said to have handled over 600,000 euros of "questionable origin". The environment minister, Grimalt, is, meantime, denying any involvement and protesting his innocence, while the UM leadership - stripped of its more prominent members - has come out by saying that the socialist-controlled government has pushed the prosecutors into trying to "finish off" the nationalist party. The main spokesperson for the UM at a press conference yesterday was Francesc Buils who had to be removed from the post of tourism minister and who was replaced by ... Miquel Nadal. Buils was not involved with a scandal; he sacked some staff that he wasn't meant to. Nadal has been minister for just over a year. At a time when tourism is a matter that needs a minister fully concentrating on the job, one has to ask whether he is capable of doing so. This said, his name has been in the scandal frame for some nine months or so, but his continuing in the post has now become pretty much untenable. He should resign.
Where's all this going to lead? If it leads where it might, there should be more than just an election. Far more. Even if it does not lead where it might, there needs to be a fundamental appraisal of the system of government, a fundamental appraisal of control systems and of checks and balances to try and put an end to these cases. There may even be some element of truth in what the UM is saying about the socialist government. It is a fact that the proliferation of regional parties, across Spain, does weaken the stronger main parties, the PSOE and the PP. Perhaps it is in their interests to see regional parties "finished off". But don't let them get self-righteous. Remember those corruption cases pending? The ones across Spain? Over 450 involve the two major parties.
A fundamental appraisal, yes. Because the system is rotten to the core. There again, let me not get too serious. It is all pretty daft, after all.
QUIZ
Yesterday's title - The Twelve Days of Christmas. Today's title - now, you've got to figure this out: think of one of those named above and what he may or may not have been up to, and how do you get to "black Christmas".
(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)
An election might clear the air, for a while, but that air has a distinct stench to it. It is rancid, the smell of a rotten core. Who's next? Name a new government and who might be caught up in some future case, whether they are guilty of anything or not? At every political level in Mallorca, there is some misdeed - town halls, Council of Mallorca, government. The biggest shock of this latest case is that Maria Munar is again being cited, and she's not even a member of the government, just the speaker of the parliament. One other of those named, Vicens, was suspended some while ago from the UM party; he's implicated in another scandal as well.
Nevertheless, and notwithstanding the fact that no-one has been formally charged with anything, the fetid whiff that hangs over Mallorcan politics does probably demand some sort of public action. If that's to be an election, then so be it. The alternative is that those implicated should all resign, pending any investigation. One does wonder quite how credible Nadal is. Tourism minister, it is he who deals with the TUIs of this world. One can imagine what might go through their minds. "Isn't he the bloke who's ... ?"
The case has moved on, evidence seemingly growing against Munar and Flaquer, the current leader of the Unió Mallorquina. The police and the tax authority are investigating, as "The Diario" puts it, offences of misappropriation, trafficking of influence, bribery and fraud. The sums involved have risen as well; nearly five million euros are now being mentioned. The tax authority speaks of "possible connivance", and fingers in particular the tourism minister. He seems also to be wrapped up in some real-estate dealings which involve Munar's husband, and is said to have handled over 600,000 euros of "questionable origin". The environment minister, Grimalt, is, meantime, denying any involvement and protesting his innocence, while the UM leadership - stripped of its more prominent members - has come out by saying that the socialist-controlled government has pushed the prosecutors into trying to "finish off" the nationalist party. The main spokesperson for the UM at a press conference yesterday was Francesc Buils who had to be removed from the post of tourism minister and who was replaced by ... Miquel Nadal. Buils was not involved with a scandal; he sacked some staff that he wasn't meant to. Nadal has been minister for just over a year. At a time when tourism is a matter that needs a minister fully concentrating on the job, one has to ask whether he is capable of doing so. This said, his name has been in the scandal frame for some nine months or so, but his continuing in the post has now become pretty much untenable. He should resign.
Where's all this going to lead? If it leads where it might, there should be more than just an election. Far more. Even if it does not lead where it might, there needs to be a fundamental appraisal of the system of government, a fundamental appraisal of control systems and of checks and balances to try and put an end to these cases. There may even be some element of truth in what the UM is saying about the socialist government. It is a fact that the proliferation of regional parties, across Spain, does weaken the stronger main parties, the PSOE and the PP. Perhaps it is in their interests to see regional parties "finished off". But don't let them get self-righteous. Remember those corruption cases pending? The ones across Spain? Over 450 involve the two major parties.
A fundamental appraisal, yes. Because the system is rotten to the core. There again, let me not get too serious. It is all pretty daft, after all.
QUIZ
Yesterday's title - The Twelve Days of Christmas. Today's title - now, you've got to figure this out: think of one of those named above and what he may or may not have been up to, and how do you get to "black Christmas".
(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Five Golden Rings
Well, well, well, what have we got here? 'Tis the season to be merry, 'tis the season for corruption allegations. Hard on the heels of the Matas affair (Matas the ex-president of the Balearics), comes another bombshell. Five leading members of the Unió Mallorquina nationalist party are facing accusations of having "diverted" hundreds of thousands of euros. The case, known as Caso Son Oms, relates to payments allegedly made to two media companies - those hundreds of thousands. More than just five golden rings for the infamous five.
And this five could hardly be more impressive in terms of their prominence in the UM. Heading the list is Maria Antònia Munar, matriarch of the party, its former leader, the former president of the Council of Mallorca and now the president (speaker) of the Balearics parliament. She has recently been hauled up before the beak to answer questions relating to another case. Following her are: the already implicated tourism minister and ex-leader of the party, Miquel Nadal; the current leader of the party, Miquel Flaquer; the former councillor for territory, Bartomeu Vicens and ... and Enviro Man, yes, Miquel Grimalt, the current environment minister in the Balearics government.
All those named held responsibilities in the previous Council administration, presided over by Sra. Munar. They are only accused, but stuff has a habit of sticking, while it doesn't look great if such prominent politicians are being cited. This was a point made by the current Balearics president when Sra. Munar had her previous day in court. She said that it was normal for someone in her position to be asked to give evidence when the case had happened on her patch, as it were. Which is probably fair enough, but Antich (the president) is also right to say that it looks bad. And unfortunately, it does look bad, regardless of whether there is any truth to the accusations or not.
The consistency with which these cases emerge leads one to the conclusion that virtually no project is unsullied. Someone said to me the other day that a number of projects are basically unjustified; there is no real need for them, except as a means of some money being "diverted". And who's doing the diverting?
Oh, and when I said the other day (20 November: Conde Nasty) that the UM, with seven cases of alleged corruption hanging over it, could do better, I was only joking. I hadn't expected that the party might actually be about to boost its rankings.
QUIZ
Yesterday's title - "My Fair Lady", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrY33J8qUpM. Today's title - I assume you all know where this is from.
(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)
And this five could hardly be more impressive in terms of their prominence in the UM. Heading the list is Maria Antònia Munar, matriarch of the party, its former leader, the former president of the Council of Mallorca and now the president (speaker) of the Balearics parliament. She has recently been hauled up before the beak to answer questions relating to another case. Following her are: the already implicated tourism minister and ex-leader of the party, Miquel Nadal; the current leader of the party, Miquel Flaquer; the former councillor for territory, Bartomeu Vicens and ... and Enviro Man, yes, Miquel Grimalt, the current environment minister in the Balearics government.
All those named held responsibilities in the previous Council administration, presided over by Sra. Munar. They are only accused, but stuff has a habit of sticking, while it doesn't look great if such prominent politicians are being cited. This was a point made by the current Balearics president when Sra. Munar had her previous day in court. She said that it was normal for someone in her position to be asked to give evidence when the case had happened on her patch, as it were. Which is probably fair enough, but Antich (the president) is also right to say that it looks bad. And unfortunately, it does look bad, regardless of whether there is any truth to the accusations or not.
The consistency with which these cases emerge leads one to the conclusion that virtually no project is unsullied. Someone said to me the other day that a number of projects are basically unjustified; there is no real need for them, except as a means of some money being "diverted". And who's doing the diverting?
Oh, and when I said the other day (20 November: Conde Nasty) that the UM, with seven cases of alleged corruption hanging over it, could do better, I was only joking. I hadn't expected that the party might actually be about to boost its rankings.
QUIZ
Yesterday's title - "My Fair Lady", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrY33J8qUpM. Today's title - I assume you all know where this is from.
(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)
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