ITR - News from Iberia from Heather Carter ITR - for InTouchRadio.net UK-GLOBAL

From Heather Carter ITR - Iberia
2. October 2008

421 MILLION EUROS FOR THE BALEARICS

THE Balearics will receive 421 million euros of government funding next year and a total of 2'800 million over the next seven years.
Central government’s budget for the Balearics was unveiled by the Balearic Minister for Finance, Carles Manera and the general Budget for 2009 will be officially presented by Spanish Minister for Finance, Pedro Solbes, this morning.
Per capita, the funding continues to be below the national average but Manera said yesterday that state funding in the Balearics has risen by 80 percent over the past two years and that Madrid is committed to continuing to increase the amount of state financial aid the region receives.

Eleventh arrest in investigation into public funding scam

THE Serious Fraud Squad of the National Police made an eleventh arrest yesterday as it continues with its investigation into the alleged misappropriation of public funds by the former head of the previous government’s Consortium for Balearic Economic Development, Antonia Ordinas, who was taken in to police custody for questioning on Monday morning.
Ordinas’s partner, the Soprano Isabel Rossello was also arrested on Monday along with eight other suspects all connected to the world of public relations. Yesterday a 60-year-old woman identified only as Daniela B.B. was arrested in Palma on alleged charges of bribery and the misappropriation of public funds.

According to fraud squad sources yesterday, they are investigating the misappropriation of around five million euros during a three-year period under Jaume Matas Presidency of the Balearic government and further arrests may still be made over the coming days as the police continue with their investigation.

Yesterday, the spokesperson for the parliamentary Socialist group, Antoni Dieguez, told the house that during the last legislature, that of the former conservative Partido Popular leader Jaume Matas, his party warned parliament about “favours” being made by the Consortium for Balearic Economic Development

From Heather Carter ITR News from Iberia for InTouchRadio.net UK-GLOBAL