Galmés will act with "forcefulness" if irregularities are confirmed in the case of Bestard's official cars

PalmaThe president of the Council of Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, assures that he will act with "forcefulness" if irregularities are confirmed in the use of official cars by the vice president of the institution, Pedro Bestard. Sources from the Council have explained that all necessary measures will be adopted if it is verified that there has been any irregular conduct, after the Public Prosecutor's Office decided to file a lawsuit against the Vox leader.

From the island institution, they ask, at the same time, for "maximum respect" for the decisions of the Public Prosecutor's Office and for the judicial procedure that has been initiated. The same sources call for prudence and remind that justice must be allowed to do its job and that the presumption of innocence must be respected. They also claim the need to act with responsibility, transparency, and rigor.

Galmés' reaction comes after the Balearic Islands Prosecutor's Office agreed to file a complaint against Bestard following the PSIB's denunciation regarding the alleged use of the Council's official vehicles for private travel. As reported by ARA Balears, the socialist complaint points out that the vice president allegedly used the institution's cars repeatedly for private trips, with the corresponding fuel and other consumption expenses.

The PSIB considers that the facts could be constitutive of continued embezzlement of public funds, prevarication, and documentary forgery. The filing of the complaint opens the way for the facts to be investigated judicially, but it does not imply that any criminal responsibility has been determined for Bestard, who has denied having made irregular use of the vehicles.

Cladera demands that Galmés dismisses Bestard

The lawsuit has also intensified political pressure on the president of the Council. The socialist spokesperson at the institution, Catalina Cladera, has demanded that Galmés dismiss the second vice president and has argued that "he cannot remain for even one more day as a high-ranking official of the Council of Mallorca." Furthermore, she has asked the president of the Government, Marga Prohens, to intervene if Galmés decides to keep him in the position.

Cladera believes that the Prosecutor's Office's decision forces the island president to take measures. The socialist has also linked the case to the electoral agreement between the PP and Vox for the Senate and has accused the conservatives of preferring to make a pact with Santiago Abascal's party rather than fighting corruption.

The controversy over official vehicles became public last May. Internal reports commissioned by the Council itself concluded that Bestard had exclusive use of three vehicles without it being recorded that he had them assigned in that capacity. The documents described this situation as "inappropriate," but pointed out that it could not be categorically determined that there had been misuse.

Bestard, for his part, has defended that the trips were linked to his institutional activity and has denied having used the cars for private purposes. Now, the Prosecutor's Office's lawsuit moves the case to the judicial sphere, while Galmés avoids advancing possible measures and makes any action conditional on the confirmation of irregularities.