The requirements requested by the Ayuso Government for the luxury penthouse dismantle the "offices" version: "Between 250 and 400 square meters and a large terrace"

The search for the property by the Government of Isabel Díaz Ayuso would have begun before Planifica Madrid formalized the purchase of the controversial Chamberí penthouse. According to 'El País', between January and March, the regional Executive had already informed a real estate agency specializing in luxury homes about the characteristics the property should have, which was supposedly to house the Executive's "offices" while the works on the Real Casa de Correos were being carried out: "Between 250 and 400 square meters and a large terrace."

Thus, the communicated conditions largely match the penthouse that the public company finally acquired for 6.3 million euros. The property has 485 square meters and nearly 200 meters of terrace and had been advertised by the real estate agency since January 31 for 6.6 million euros, in addition to previously being in its property portfolio.

According to sources close to the operation cited by 'El País', it was then that a senior official from Planifica Madrid contacted, through an online advertisement, the exclusive real estate agency based in La Moraleja that was marketing the property. The company presented public officials with at least two properties, cheaper, as possible options, which were discarded. 

Ayuso's Government tries to 'address' the "lack of transparency"

The PSOE of Madrid denounced this Tuesday that Planifica Madrid has refused to provide a socialist deputy with the complete file of the purchase of the Chamberí penthouse acquired for 6.3 million euros by the public company dependent on the Ministry of the Presidency. In this regard, the Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Local Administration of Ayuso's Government, Ángel García Martín, far from giving explanations, he diverted attention by criticizing the left for, in his opinion, using the controversy affecting the Madrid Executive to "cover up, or try to cover up, rather, what is happening in our country."  

"The only thing there is an interest from the left and the far-left to cover up, or try to cover up, rather, what is happening in our country, which is nothing more than chaos and corruption," Martín stated to the media. Minutes later, he attacked the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, for his handling of the migratory crisis in Ceuta. Thus, he assured that Sánchez has shown "that he is a traitor to Spain and to Spaniards" for being "resting in the Mareta Residence, while Ceuta was being invaded."

However, the counselor has requested to give explanations in the Assembly. 

Planifica Madrid blocks PSOE's access to the penthouse file

The Madrid socialists have denounced the "lack of transparency" after Planifica Madrid refused to provide a socialist deputy with the complete file of the purchase of the penthouse by the company dependent on the Ministry of the Presidency. The documentation was requested by regional deputy Tatiana Jiménez, who received a burofax as a response – according to 'Público' – in which she is informed that she must process her request through the Madrid Assembly.

The socialist parliamentarian had requested the file last August 6, after the real estate operation and the subsequent decision of the Government of Isabel Díaz Ayuso to put the property up for sale came to light. Planifica Madrid maintains that requests for information addressed to the regional Executive must be channeled through parliamentary procedures. The PSOE, for its part, questions the operation and considers that the property, which was to be temporarily used as Ayuso's office during the works of the Royal Post Office, is a "luxury apartment" that would not have the necessary authorization to function as an office.

The acquisition of the penthouse occurred in April and was not publicly communicated at that time. The operation came to light on July 29 and, the next day, the Community announced that it would sell the property, setting a starting price of 6.69 million euros and committing to allocate the funds obtained to the recovery of the areas affected by this summer's fires in the Sierra Oeste of Madrid.

The controversy continues after Ayuso again avoided giving explanations yesterday about the purchase. Asked during her visit to San Martín de Valdeiglesias, the Madrid president chose to close the matter with the expression “It's for sale, bye bye”. Her words also come after the leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, acknowledged that he knew since April that the regional Executive was looking for a space to temporarily move its offices while works were carried out at the headquarters of the Madrid Presidency.