The Russian Federation has six honorary consulates in Spain. He is the best known businessman. Pedro MourinTrying to market and produce the Sputnik vaccine in our country and opened the embassy in Vigo in June 2021. He is accompanied by other Spanish nationals who for one reason or another represent Russian interests in the Canary Islands (Gonzalo Parada Santana), Andalusia (Esther Morell Garcia), Castile and Leon (Pedro Jose Ballve LanteroFormer president of Campofrío), Community of Valencia (Ramon Congost Valleys) and the Balearic Islands (Sebastia Roig Montserrat).
Since last February and on the occasion of the occupation of Ukraine, the Russian embassy advises not to make statements about the war and to limit their duties to serving the Russians in Spain and to the economic and cultural promotion of the country. Russian diplomats in Madrid said in March that these people are not civil servants, are not paid, and that “they are self-sufficient.” political issues”.
Pedro Mourin
Business man Pedro Mourin As he himself explained, he has been the honorary consulate of Russia in Galicia since 2020. It opened its offices in June 2021. vigo. He is the CEO and founder of the investment company. IberianAtlantic. It is dedicated, among other subjects, to the care of Russian citizens residing in Galicia and to the economic and cultural promotion of Russia. Last year, he tried to reach an agreement between the Russian Direct Investment Fund and the pharmaceutical company. zendalbased in O Porriño (Pontevedra) to market and produce sputnik vaccine in spain. There were also contacts with Community of Madridhowever, his project clashed with the European Medicines Agency.
He is a member of the PP and in his youth he served as vice-president of the party’s university organization, EDS. He describes himself as a “very friend” of Pablo Casado, the ex-president of the PP, and was a PP pre-candidate at Santiago de Compostela in 2008. Commentator on Russia Today (RT) television channel. That the Russian government broadcasts its messages internationally. In 2014, he served as an international observer in the sovereignty referendum in Crimea and an election in Ukraine. He has received threats in recent months.
His name appeared in the newspaper ‘pandora papers‘A study by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) in connection with the purchase of a villa in Belize. Antonio Glutton, director of the Guinean state oil company. Mouriño assures that he advises only one client. Regarding Vladimir Putin’s criticisms of Russia, “there are people in the world who are stagnant. USSR” and while stigmatizing the president’s party as “conservative” both economically and socially, he said the “regime is comparable to Western countries”.
Sebastian Roig
In the Balearic Islands, the honorary consul of Russia is a supporter and was the director general of the autonomous government’s Internal Affairs, the mayor of Campos and the founder of the NGO. monday babiesFor decades, the one tasked with transporting children, many of whom were victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, from Russian orphanages to the islands to spend their holidays. For this job, Putin distinguished himself in 2018 with these words: friendship orderRecognizing the work of foreigners working to improve relations with Russia. He was accompanied by his Russian adopted son and Paralympic sailing champion at the event. Sergi Roig.
Last April, the honorary consul announced that he would remain in his post, at least for the duration of the war in Ukraine. Its purpose: not to leave unattended those close to it. 2,000 Russians registered in the archipelago. The consulate has been open since 2017. When asked about the situation in Ukraine months ago, Roig said, “Putin disappointed me. “It’s not stupid, but it’s gotten to a disastrous situation,” he said.
Esther Morell
In Andalusia the Russian Federation has been represented by this businesswoman since 2010 and has offices in Russia. Seville, Malaga Y marbella. Morell has been head of the honorary consulate for years. In an interview in ‘Diario de Sevilla’, he said that his father had invited them to a bet when he was little: “He gave us X pesetas to those who found positive news about Russia in the newspapers. We can never win. And now I do the same with my children. We are still the same”. This Sevillian businesswoman, mushrooms and agri-food He took the stick from his father hector louisWhen he passed away in 2008. “My father was the first honorary consul of the Russian Federation in Spain. As head of the Seville Chamber of Commerce, he met a very interesting Russian delegation at Expo 92. He fell in love, fell in love with Russia and saw the potential that country had.”
gonzalo parada
The Russian honorary consul in the Canary Islands has offices. Tenerife Y Palm. has in recent months judicial problems for personal reasons. Last March, Parada confirmed that he was aware of the events that happened to the thirty or so Russian businessmen living on the islands after the war in Ukraine, while declaring that his position “has nothing to do with the Russian Government”. almost as an NGO. We resolve some transactions for citizens of a particular country at their current place of residence, nothing more”.
There’s a little more to it than that in the Canary Islands. 4,000 Russian citizensAs of January 31, 2021, 3,508 residents of the state of Santa Cruz de Tenerife are listed (mostly adhesive Y Arona) and 640 in Las Palmas. This is stated in official statistics. However, it is estimated that they may have settled in the archipelago from the Honorary Consulate of Russia in the Canary Islands. 8,000 to 9,000 citizens Russian origin.
Pedro Jose Ballve
According to the list on the website of the Russian Embassy and the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, another honorary consul of Russia in Spain is in Turkey. Burgundy. Pedro Ballvé, who was president of the Campofrío company founded by his father until July 2017, started selling dog food at his home in La Moraleja. in 1952, report His father in Spain Jose Luis Ballve, founded Campofrío. The international expansion of this company has now come from the hands of the honorary consul. Its connection with Russia is probably due to the international expansion of Campofrío, which has 30 facilities spread across many countries, including Russia.
Ramon Congost
This real estate businessman is the Russian consul in Valencia. He was the general director of the Technological Construction Institute. AIDICOIt is owned by the Valencia Community Institutes of Technology Network, the Spanish Federation of Innovation and Technology Organizations and the Spanish Network of Construction Institutes. was contacted by a journalist collaborating with International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), Congost announced that its relations with Russia began as a result of his trips to this country. Research & Development. Although it took him three years to give him the mandate, it was the ambassador who suggested it to him. He assures that he has just retired and that the honorary consulate is going well for him. as entertainment and for improve relationships. “You meet so many people, it’s nice,” she emphasizes. He prefers not to talk about the war in Ukraine.