The president of the PP and candidate for La Moncloa, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has advanced that, if he manages to form a Government, he will ask the State Attorney’s Office for a report on what criminal liability could fall on the Executive of Pedro Sánchez in the event that it is established that he has left a “pufo” and “falseed” the public accounts.
In an interview on “El Hormiguero”, collected by Europa Press, Feijóo has stressed that, after more than three years without the General State Budgets, Pedro Sánchez has “spent a trillion euros” without the approval of the Cortes. “And besides we don’t know what he has spent it on,” he has underlined.
Asked what the PP would find upon coming to Government, Feijóo has indicated that the first thing will be to check “what is the situation with the real numbers” and “they will tell the people the truth.” In his view, an Executive cannot leave “a pufo” and that “nothing happens.”
For this reason, he has advanced that he will ask the State Attorney’s Office to “study a scenario”: “in cases of falsity in public accounting, what kind of criminal liability can be demanded of the politician responsible for that falsity.” He has also recalled that the former president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero “already lied to them with a hidden deficit of 30,000 million,” “plus another 30,000” pending with the electricity companies.
DEMANDS A “SOLID” GOVERNMENT AND JUSTIFIES HIS AGREEMENT WITH VOX IN THE SENATE
Just over two weeks before the general elections, Feijóo has advanced that he will demand that citizens have a “solid” Government, “with experience,” that “has made Budgets” and that “knows what it is to manage the General State Administration and its public companies.” “And with a managing president at the head,” he added.
The leader of the PP has also defended the pact reached with Vox to preserve the absolute majority in the Senate, after the prior agreement between PSOE, Frente Amplio and left-wing territorial forces. He has insisted that this understanding does not include a division of power in a hypothetical coalition Government. “We haven’t talked about anything, not even for a minute, about coalition, government, positions, or vice presidents. Zero. Therefore, I’m not going to lie to him. Let’s see whether Mr. Abascal has asked me for anything; it’s that he didn’t even come up in the conversation,” he said.
In any case, he has warned that, if it is finally “necessary” for a Government agreement between PP and Vox, “there will be much less to divide up” because he does not intend to reproduce the current model: there will be no “22 ministers” or “700 advisers” as in the Executive of Pedro Sánchez.
Feijóo has argued that Spain needs to “reset” its course. “We are in a situation of a precipice and I have only one commandment: above the PP, above its candidate, there is only one thing, which is Spain. There is nothing more.”
Asked why he would be willing to deny Santiago Abascal even if that could cost him the Moncloa, he has admitted that the first stage of collaboration with Vox in the regional governments “was not good,” but he has highlighted that in the second “it is being good.” As he explained, they set a “framework” and Vox “is meeting with its advisers,” “the budgets are being approved” and “there is stability in the Government.”
He has reiterated that his goal is a change of political cycle that removes Pedro Sánchez from the Moncloa and he has acknowledged that, if he does not achieve a sufficient majority, he will have to “complete it.” “And there I am convinced that Vox is going to have an objective, which is that there be a change of Government in Spain. They say it in every rally and in all of their actions. They have told me too, but we have not advanced even a millimeter after,” he has recounted.
Ahead of 23J, he has shown confidence in a PP victory. “I am going to win and I am going to govern,” he has proclaimed, before adding that, if in that scenario Pedro Sánchez stops heading the PSOE, it would be “excellent news” for both his party and for the country.
HE THINKS THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM “IS SAFE” BUT ACCEPTS RISKS OF FRAUD
Questioned about the security of the electoral system after the controversy over the “Law of Grandfathers,” Feijóo has defended that the Spanish model “meets the guarantees of an electoral system from the most demanding countries in Europe.” “And, therefore, yes, I think it is safe,” he has emphasized.
However, he has admitted that “there are always windows of opportunity to commit fraud.” “Now I do not want to sow doubt about a modification of the election outcome through electoral tampering,” he has clarified, to underline that he does not have data that supports that suspicion and that he aims “to be president of everyone.”
CRITICISM OF PUENTE, THE MANAGEMENT OF THE DANA, AND THE SITUATION IN CEUTA
Feijóo has considered that the second rail disaster, the one in Urda, could have been "avoided" and has denounced that, since the tragedy in Adamuz up to that last accident, there has been "continued negligence" on the part of the Government of Pedro Sánchez.
He has also gone after the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, whom, as he said, "the polls dumped," although he still remains as a deputy. "He keeps getting paid by the Standing Committee of the Congress," he added, criticizing that before his departure a "gratification for the executives of Adif" was approved.
Regarding the criticism about the time it took for Carlos Mazón to present his resignation over the dana in Valencia, the popular party leader has defended that responsibility for that catastrophe corresponded to the central Government, which should have declared a national emergency. "Mr. Sánchez left, as he did in Paiporta, and left the mess to the president of the Generalitat," he said, to emphasize that the head of the Executive has not resigned over rail accidents.
As for Ceuta, after the massive entry of migrants in late July, Feijóo has assured that around 15,000 "invaders" remain in the city and that "returns are voluntary." "Practically no return file has been processed," he reproached.
Asked whether he believes Sánchez’s position toward Morocco is explained because Rabat has sensitive information about him, Feijóo has argued that the head of Government "is not free in relation to this matter." "It is obvious that in Sánchez’s phone there must be some back alley that compromises the independence of the head of Government in relation to Morocco because it is the only rational explanation," he asserted.
Feijóo has expressed himself convinced that Sánchez brought forward the elections to "suspend the ongoing judicial investigations," both into corruption cases and into the "invasion" of Ceuta. In his view, within the Government’s ranks there is an "atrocious fear" of appearing before a judge.
FEIJÓO DENIES THE ALLEGED MONEY OFFER TO KOLDO GARCÍA
Finally, when asked about the statement by the former ministerial adviser Koldo García, who claims that the PP’s lawyer offered him up to one million euros in exchange for information against Pedro Sánchez, Feijóo has replied: "Do you think Mr. Koldo is offered one million euros and he isn’t going to accept it?"
Next, he has categorically rejected that version. "In the PP, there is nobody who has any authorization to speak on behalf of my party," he concluded, recalling that his group has asked for a sentence of 30 years in prison for Koldo García.