Summary
- The Orihuela City Council reports alleged falsification of invoices amounting to €26,632 related to two festival committees: La Murada and Orihuela Costa.
- Advance municipal subsidies totaling €26,632 were paid in December 2024 to finance local festivities.
- The City Council demands reimbursement plus interest from both commissions due to incomplete or fake expense justifications.
- An administrative sanctioning process is underway, pending judicial examination by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
- Key figures involved include Cristian Berná, former trusted advisor to Mayor Pepe Vegara and ex-president of La murada’s festival committee, who resigned after the scandal surfaced.
- Political fallout ensues, with opposition parties demanding explanations amid ongoing legal scrutiny of the mayor himself.
Orihuela Municipality Uncovers Alleged Invoice Forgery in Festival Funding
The Orihuela City Council has initiated legal action after uncovering a case of suspected invoice falsification involving two local festival committees-La Murada and Orihuela Costa. The scandal, centered around misused public funds totaling €26,632, broke out following an audit of subsidies granted for 2025 festive events, administered by the council’s festival department under Councillor Rocío Ortuño (PP).
Background: Subsidies and Suspicious Invoice Claims
In late December 2024, the City Council made advance payments to the two committees as subsidies for upcoming festival activities: €19,280 to La Murada and €7,352 to Orihuela Costa, representing 80% of the projected costs. As local regulations require, final payments depend on thorough justification of expenses.
However, a technical report revealed significant discrepancies and forged supporting documents related to these funds:
- La Murada Commission: Submitted a questionable invoice of €8,900 for hiring the Juventud Musical de La Murada band, which was actually paid only €2,000. Another inflated cost included printing services invoiced at €11,337, while the verified expense was merely €1,742.
- Orihuela Costa Commission: Presented dubious documents justifying €7,352 in expenditures for festivals on the coastal strip,with banking records contradicted by the issuing financial institutions.
Key Figures and Political Repercussions
The La Murada festival committee was headed until recently by Cristian Berná, who also served as a trusted advisor to Mayor Pepe Vegara. Berná resigned abruptly after the irregularities came to light. This double role raised political tensions, given Mayor Vegara’s ongoing legal issues related to an earlier case of document falsification in his private business before assuming office.
New controversies emerged when investigators found that a signature on one of the inflated invoices was allegedly forged, affecting the treasurer of La Murada’s committee-Héctor Mateo sigüenza-an advisor selected by Vox, the local political group.
José Aix, spokesperson for Ciudadanos, condemned the management’s decisions, calling Berná’s appointment as advisor “a terrible mistake” and demanding further explanations about the misuse of public money.
Immediate Actions and Pending Procedures
- The City council will demand full reimbursement of the unjustified subsidies, including interest accrued as December 28, 2024, when expenditures were improperly declared.
- An administrative sanction procedure is being activated but will be suspended if the judicial complaint progresses.
- The case has been forwarded to the Public Prosecutor’s Office for possible criminal investigation involving false documentation and potential embezzlement of public funds.
- The municipal audit team confirmed several bank justifications were falsified by verifying directly with financial institutions where alleged transfers did not exist in the records.
Understanding the Local Context: Orihuela Costa and La Murada
Orihuela Costa, a mostly residential area with around 30,000 residents (many of them foreign nationals), is known for limited traditional festivals beyond major events like carnival and the Three Kings parade. Its festival committee is a relatively recent creation. Meanwhile,La Murada is a smaller population center of nearly 4,000 inhabitants with a longer-standing local cultural scene.
This incident raises broader concerns about transparency and accountability in the allocation and management of municipal funds for cultural and community events in Orihuela’s districts.
| Festival Committee | Amount Advanced (€) | Questioned Invoice Items (€) | Confirmed Actual Cost (€) |
|---|---|---|---|
| La murada | 19,280 | 8,900 (music), 11,337 (printing) | 2,000 (music), 1,742 (printing) |
| Orihuela Costa | 7,352 | 7,352 (general expenses) | Unverified / Falsified banking documents |
What’s Next?
The forthcoming local government meeting is expected to approve the demand for return of the subsidies plus applicable interest. The Public Prosecutor’s Office will determine whether to commence criminal proceedings based on the evidence submitted.
Meanwhile, political debates continue, with opposition parties scrutinizing the administration’s oversight and the appointment of persons responsible for managing funds tied to cultural and social initiatives.
Orihuela’s experiance underscores the importance of transparent governance especially in the management of public finances supporting local traditions and festivities – vital aspects of community identity that must be protected from misappropriation.
Sources: