Alicante Judge Requests Additional Documents in VPO Housing Scandal Investigation
A Alicante judge has ordered the city council to provide further documentation related to the allocation of protected housing (VPO) in the Les Naus residential complex, according to a court ruling obtained by elDiario.es. The request comes as part of an ongoing judicial investigation into potential irregularities in the urban land auction process.
Key Officials Cited as Witnesses in Case
The judge has summoned two municipal officials to testify as witnesses in the case. Germán Pascual Ruiz-Valdepeñas, the city council’s deputy secretary, and Manuel Ángel Baltar Fitera, head of the Urban Discipline Service, are scheduled to appear on July 16, the ruling states. Both were requested by the prosecution and the PSPV-PSOE-led popular accusation, according to the document.
Baltar Fitera, who previously served as an advisor to former mayor Luis Días Alperi during his time with the People’s Party (PP), is under scrutiny for his role in the urban planning process, according to elDiario.es.
Judge Seeks Full Documentation on VPO Land Auction
The court has demanded the city council’s legal department provide the complete contents of investigation files related to the auction of urban land designated for VPO and special protection housing. The order requires the municipality, led by mayor Luis Barcala, to submit the documents within 10 days.
The judge also requested any conclusions or reports from the investigator of the case, as outlined in the ruling. The documents were initially submitted by the municipal vice-secretariat, according to elDiario.es.
Ex-Official’s Asset Increase Under Scrutiny
Meanwhile, a former PP city councilor involved in the scandal has seen her net worth increase by nearly €170,000, according to a separate report. The exedil, who has since resigned, claims she does not recall meetings related to the Les Naus residential project, as stated in the same source.
The case has intensified scrutiny over urban planning practices in Alicante, with investigators focusing on potential conflicts of interest and procedural violations in public procurement processes.