Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has received yet another slap on the wrist from the country’s independent transparency organization, but has again ignored the request for information related to his use of public funds for travel and vacations, El Debate reports.
In the five years he has lived in the Moncloa, the country’s prime ministerial residence, the socialist PM has been continually stalled releasing information on his use of the state plane and various state residences he has at his disposal. His office has not released such information either to journalists or parliament, even when explicitly asked. Sánchez continually either ignores or offers excuses to the Transparency Council (CTBG), even though the courts have always backed the council’s demands.
In fact, on February 12, the CTBG sent Sánchez an official document reminding him of “the need to comply” with its requests. In the previous communication, the council asked for details on the 88 days of vacation which the prime minister enjoyed in various state residences. The request was for a simple list of guests who accompanied Sánchez and expenses such as food, catering, and cleaning services.
Sánchez’s office replied that the CTBG was asking too much, as compiling the information “would paralyze the normal functioning” of the Moncloa.
The CTBG responded that it was not asking for a detailed reckoning of the expenses and people at every state residence during Sánchez’s previous mandate, 2019 to 2023, but simply “information referring to thirteen stays that have taken place in only 4 destinations.”
“A compilation task that does not exceed what can be considered basic or general,” the transparency body concluded.
The same document also reminded Sánchez that he gave no reason for not providing “information regarding official companions of the prime minister in the stays in the aforementioned properties.”
Sánchez still has yet to answer another outstanding request from the CTBG, this one regarding his use of the state plane during recent local electoral campaigns. Sánchez is known for using the plane beyond his official duties as prime minister, such as attending political events for his party, the PSOE (Partido Socialista Obrero Español).
That information should have been provided to the CTBG in January as it was requested on December 20, 2023. The body asked this time for an “express list of trips in the Falcon made by the prime minister in an electoral campaign regarding the regional and municipal elections to be held, as well as since May 12, until the end of the electoral campaign, with indication of the dates and destinations of each flight.” Again, it also asked for a list of people who accompanied the prime minister. Neither request has been answered according to El Debate.
This follows a long-standing and proven pattern of both private and party use of the state plane by Sánchez as well as a lack of transparency.
