The Popular Party has announced the appearance of the former Vice President of the Government María Jesús Montero in the Senate investigation commission on the State Society of Industrial Participations (SEPI), scheduled for next Monday, April 20. The summons comes one month before the Andalusian elections on May 17, although the PP insists that its decision responds to a calendar set in advance.
According to popular sources, the commission's work plan already contemplated Montero's appearance in an initial phase of the investigations for months. The party maintains that the socialist leader herself expressed at the time her willingness to attend “as many times as necessary”, thus rejecting any attempt to link the summons with electoral interests.
In this regard, the PP has wanted to distance itself from the PSOE recalling the precedent of the appearance of Alberto Núñez Feijóo during the Aragonese campaign in the commission on the DANA, despite, according to the popular party, not having direct responsibilities in that matter. “We are not like the PSOE”, they emphasize, defending that in this case they have not waited for a campaign moment to summon Montero.
The commission will also address the management of SEPI and its role in different business operations, including rescues such as those of Air Europa or Plus Ultra, as well as the evolution of public companies in which it participates. In the days prior to Montero's appearance, other officials of the body are summoned, such as its president Belén Gualda, the vice-president Bartolomé Lora and the former president Vicente Fernández.
From the PP, they also harden their discourse by assuring that the former vice president will have to give explanations about what they describe as an irregular use of SEPI, going so far as to define the organization as an alleged “operations center” for irregular practices.
