Wednesday, November 12, 2014

More cases of corruption

This time it is Operation Creeper which has resulted in the arrest of 30 people in 12 provinces of Spain. Since the operation is ongoing, there may well be more arrests to come.

The municipal officers and technicians are accused of accepting bribes in exchange for awarding contracts to maintain and care for green areas in their towns.

The two companies involved, Fitonova and Fitiverde, grew out of all proportion from 2003 as a result of winning contracts. They have admitted to giving large sums of money to the councillors involved in order to obtain these contracts.

Here in Bigastro, José Joaquín Moya is once again under the spotlight. This time he, along with José Pérez Moya, José Pérez Moya  and the ex-secretary Anonio Saseta are accused of exchanging premises in Calle La Purisima for land in the industrial zone  without permission from the Generalit. The green belt land in Zone ZV3 was to be used to build warehouses. It is alleged that money passed illegally between the ex-mayor and the two entrepreneurs during the exchange.

In November 2008, Operation Bigastro resulted in the arrest of the mayor with at least six cases against him. Some of these have already gone to trial and have been dismissed.

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