Mallorca official car probe: vice-president won't quit

Mallorca Island Council’s second vice-president, Pedro Bestard, refuses to quit: a court is investigating suspected embezzlement linked to the alleged misuse of council cars. The Vox politician denies wrongdoing at a press conference on Friday, 13 November, held to present the island’s 2027 budget. The co-governing People’s Party (PP) backs him.

Bestard says he will stay

Bestard says the court called him on Friday morning, but he has received no formal notice of his status in the case. He says he will resign if found guilty, but insists he has done nothing wrong.

PP waits for the court

Rafel Bosch of the PP says his party’s ethics code does not require action against Bestard unless a trial is formally opened.

The island council’s internal inquiry closed the case after finding Bestard’s conduct inappropriate but not criminal. Prosecutors, however, see indications of embezzlement. Bosch says the judge will assess those differing views and seek statements.

Bosch leaves open whether the council will join the court case, which could allow it to seek repayment of any money found to have been misappropriated. He says the council will not comment on that step until the court contacts it.

Topics: Court cases · Politics

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com