The Court of Auditors has warned that the Casa del Mediterráneo, despite being part of the Network of Houses dependent on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, operates without "direction, technical assistance or supervision" from the department headed by José Manuel Albares. Furthermore, it emphasizes that it concentrates most of its programming in Alicante, which "limits its impact on the countries that constitute its area of action," when its mission is to strengthen Spain's image in the coastal states.
These conclusions are included in the Audit Report of the Consortium Casa del Mediterráneo, related to the fiscal years 2024 and 2025, approved by the body headed by Enriqueta Chicano in its last plenary session before the summer break.
The Consortium Casa del Mediterráneo is a public entity of inter-administrative nature linked to the General Administration of the State through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition to the ministry itself, it includes the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development, the Generalitat Valenciana, the Provincial Council of Alicante, and the municipalities of Alicante, Benidorm, and Jávea.
Its objective is to promote and strengthen relations between the countries on the shores of the Euro-Mediterranean region, contributing to projecting a better image of Spain in those territories.
According to the report from the court, collected by Europa Press, the consortium intervenes in Spanish public diplomacy as a member of the Network of Houses attached to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but the oversight body does not perceive "that it has received the corresponding direction, technical assistance, and supervision from the ministry to constitute an effective instrument on which to rely for the development of said function."
Weaknesses in internal control
The Court of Auditors also draws attention to "weaknesses and deficiencies" in the internal control system of the entity. In particular, it points out that planning is deficient, "making it impossible to know the degree of achievement of the intended strategic objectives, nor their linkage to the purposes of the consortium."
It also highlights that 93.8% of the activities of the Casa del Mediterráneo were carried out in Spain, with a particular emphasis on Alicante, "which limits its impact on the countries that constitute its area of action."
The auditor also emphasizes that the economic position of the consortium "worsens every year," as the negative results accumulated since 2017 force the use of the treasury surplus as a usual source of financing.
Risks to financial viability
According to its estimates, this surplus could be exhausted in about five years if the current trend continues, or in two or three fiscal years if the planned expansion works of the headquarters are executed.
In the chapter on income, the report states that the financing model established in the statutes is not being respected, as not all the consortium administrations contribute the resources in the committed percentages.
Nevertheless, the court appreciates "some improvement in the compliance with the recommendations made" in previous audits, as well as an "effort to correct some of the identified deficiencies."
Among the new recommendations, the body chaired by Enriqueta Chicano proposes various measures to address the shortcomings detected in this latest report, with special emphasis on improving planning and conducting a thorough feasibility study on the financial situation of the consortium.