The Congress established on Tuesday the commission charged with examining emergency contracts across various administrations for the purchase of health care materials during the pandemic. The panel is chaired by Alejandro Soler, a socialist who previously led the PSPV in Alicante province and is now the president of the Valencian federation. Notably, the commission will include a Vox deputy at the table, a first given the pact Vox brokered with the PP to participate in this inquiry.
The Vox deputy for the Balearic Islands, Jorge Campos, who previously served as the spokesperson in the regional Parliament during the tenure of the current Congress president, the socialist Francina Armengol, will act as secretary of the table thanks to votes from Carlos Flores Juberías of the Valencian group and from PP members. In return, Vox supported the candidacy of Popular Party member José Vicente Marí for the position of second vice president.
Regardless of party alignment, the PSOE and Sumar hold a majority on the commission’s table, having secured three of the five seats with backing from ERC, Junts, PNV, Bildu, and Coalición Canaria. The commission’s president is Alejandro Soler, who also serves as the chair of the Finance Committee.
In his opening remarks, Soler, a native of Elche, affirmed that the objective of the body, initiated by the PSOE after the Koldo case, is to investigate the events, responsibilities, and lessons learned from contracting health care materials across public administrations during the pandemic era.
It is expected that next week a deadline will be opened for the groups to submit draft work plans. Both the proposed plans and the witness hearings must be approved by the commission, requiring prior agreements among groups. The commission’s president expressed a wish that hearings be scheduled based on what all participants deem most appropriate.
For the moment, the PSOE has not released its list of witnesses but did not rule out inviting Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the president of the Community of Madrid.
On the other side, Elías Bendondo, the PP spokesperson on the commission, stressed that the inquiry should help clarify the numerous questions that remain unresolved, especially regarding the PSOE’s role. He noted that all involved individuals and those named in the preliminary report have a significant opportunity to explain themselves before appearing before the commission. If they do not provide voluntary explanations, they may be asked to appear to account for their actions.
Flores Juberías indicated that Vox intends to call all regional authorities and managers from the various communities who are believed to possess reliable data. He also reminded that Vox opposed the creation of this commission, arguing that responsibilities should be addressed in the courts.
Sumar urged that the commission avoid turning into a partisan spectacle akin to the Senate panel where the PP holds a strong majority. The group called for prudence in requesting appearances and for a clear, principled approach to the hearing schedule. Sumar’s parliamentary spokesperson, Íñigo Errejón, emphasized the need for restraint and a consistent method when deciding who should testify. Águeda Micó, spokesperson for Compromís, similarly urged sensibility and cautioned against turning the process into a political game that could erode public trust and hinder the commission’s effectiveness.