PP and Vox pressure the government over DGAIA scandals

The discovery of a child prostitution network following the case of a minor under the care of the Generalitat has caused shock in Catalonia. The case points directly to the Directorate General for Child and Adolescent Care, the DGAIA. This public body is being investigated for several irregularities, which suggest systemic corruption when it was controlled by ERC.

In light of this new scandal, PP and Vox have asked the Govern to appear to provide explanations and to go all the way with this matter. PSC has reacted by announcing the first measures. They have opened a file on the case of the prostituted minor and announced the appearance of the Minister of Social Rights in Parliament.

PSC's position is not easy because the case directly implicates their priority government partner. Until now, they had tried to stop the opposition's offensive to protect ERC. But the case is reaching a significant dimension, and the Govern is obliged to take steps to prevent the case from dragging them down.

what is happening in the DGAIA

The Audit Office uncovered serious irregularities last year in the awarding of contracts and the granting of aid by the DGAIA. It was during the period 2016-2020, when ERC controlled the Ministry of Social Affairs. First with Dolors Bassa (2016-2017) and then with Chakir El Homrani (2018-2021).

The DGAIA is the public body dedicated to the care of minors under and out of care. But it doesn't directly manage the service; instead, it does so through private entities. The Audit Office detected the irregular awarding of contracts to these entities and the granting of aid to young people who did not meet the requirements.

Amid the whirlwind of financial scandals, the case of a minor under the care of the DGAIA who was systematically raped by a pedophile network has exploded. Additionally, it has been discovered that the DGAIA authorized her escape with a man ten years older. This has exposed the failures of the system for protecting vulnerable minors.

PP and Vox demand urgent measures

That is precisely what Juan Fernández pointed out on his X account. The PP spokesperson in the Catalan Parliament stated that "the child protection system in Catalonia has failed spectacularly." He also accused PSC of "remaining silent" in the face of "very serious events" and pointed to Minister Mónica Martínez Bravo.

"Today, when we learn of a 12-year-old girl's rape case, the minister informs us that she will not be present at the next Parliament session." Fernández has asked the minister to "cancel the trip" and "provide the explanations that Catalans demand."

Vox has been on top of this case since it emerged, posing several questions and demands in Parliament. They now warn that the PSC's Govern is "late and inadequate" in this case, which "should never have happened." Moreover, they believe that the minister's appearance will be useless because "she will say the same as always."

Their spokesperson Ignacio Garriga has been blunt. He pointed to the "corrupt politicians of the Generalitat" who have long "used the minors under care and the guardianship institutions like the DGAIA as instruments for personal and political gain."

Junts requests an investigation commission

Meanwhile, Junts has requested an investigation commission to get to the bottom of the DGAIA case. Although Junts's position in this case has been more ambiguous. They first voted against the minister's appearance, only to later join the request when the issue gained momentum.

Junts sees in this scandal the opportunity to weaken both their direct competitor, ERC, and Salvador Illa's Govern. But at the same time, they are aware that during those years, Junts and ERC governed together.

This same week, new irregularities in hiring during the pro-independence governments have come to light. It was in 2022 in the Department of Health, when it was led by Josep Maria Argimon, a man from Junts. The post-convergents are not entirely confident, hence their ambiguity on these issues.