The Opposition Corners the Government Over Irregularities in the DGAIA

The crisis at the Directorate General for Child and Adolescent Care (DGAIA) continues. Junts, Vox, and the CUP have agreed to point to the Govern for the irregularities detected in the administration of public resources allocated to 'menas.' The Minister of Social Rights, Mònica Martínez Bravo, has defended the recent dismissals in the management and announced an independent audit.

Junts's deputy, Ennatu Domingo, criticized the lack of strategy and leadership of the Govern in this matter during the control session. María García Fuster (VOX) was clearer and denounced the "handpicked" awards to entities linked to former Department officials. Meanwhile, Pilar Castillejo (CUP) questioned why the Govern doesn't apply public procurement rules and has demanded compliance with the recommendations of the Audit Office.

Minister Martínez Bravo assured that there is no clear evidence of corruption and has appealed for prudence, warning against "hasty conclusions" that, according to her, favor far-right discourses. However, she acknowledged that the situation requires a deep reform and has justified the dismissals as part of a necessary restructuring to achieve "a level of excellence."

A Controversy with Deep Roots

The irregularities have been around for a long time. The DGAIA scandal was revealed by Octuvre and primarily affected the previous ERC Govern. As it was revealed, the DGAIA had allowed the collection of benefits by young people who did not meet the established requirements. Among these, some stood out for living outside Catalonia or having incomes incompatible with the aid.

Similarly, the Audit Office warned that the DGAIA awarded millions of euros in aid and services irregularly. The auditing body denounced the lack of adequate legal instruments for awarding. It also pointed out the existence of an organized operation to circumvent public procurement procedures.

In some cases, DGAIA workers were pressured not to report the facts. These workers were under the supervision of managers with a background in third-sector companies. Among these companies, Resilis stands out as the main contractor of the reception system. According to contracting data, Resilis has received more than 80 million euros in contracts, some of them under conditions that doubled market prices, according to public complaints.

These companies - which manage apartments and programs for former foster youth and 'menas' - are now being pointed out for their closeness to high-ranking officials of the Generalitat. We are, therefore, facing a classic situation of "revolving doors" with a conflict of interest. In the educational sector, for example, the Bofill Foundation is another clear case of revolving doors with the stamp of progressivism.

ERC Blames the Referee and Junts Moves with the Wind

When the scandal broke, ERC was quick to shirk responsibilities. The Republicans said it was all due to COVID, Article 155, and the "unexpected arrival" of 'menas.' In response, ERC's partners, PSC and Comuns, rallied to ignore the harsh report from the Audit Office because, they said, it gave wings to the far right.

Meanwhile, Junts has once again tried to play both sides with this case. Initially, Jaume Giró had free rein to denounce the tripartite's interested opacity. But shortly after, Junts vetoed the appearance of the Minister of Social Rights; again, there was no explanation. Now, however, Junts is back in action and joins an unprecedented front with Vox and CUP to pressure the Govern.