Politics · Spain · 17 hrs ago
Spain’s Court of Auditors opens inquiry into Adif contract allegations
Spain’s Court of Auditors has opened an inquiry into Adif contracts to work out whether public money was lost and seek its recovery.
Adif manages Spain’s railway infrastructure, and the inquiry focuses on contracts awarded to Obras Públicas y Regadíos, a construction company linked in a judicial investigation to the Koldo case.
Adif received two internal complaints in 2022 alleging that bid scores had been falsified to favour a company, but closed them without a full examination, according to an audit report.
The report identified at least two contracts funded by the European Union, worth 85 million euros in total, but investigators have not yet established which awards were rigged or the amount of any loss.
The Court of Auditors’ process is separate from criminal proceedings and aims to recover public funds, including through preventive seizure of assets if needed.
The former Adif president denied that the contracts were rigged, and the inquiry will now assess responsibility and any financial damage.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office is also conducting a separate investigation.
Spain’s Court of Auditors has opened an inquiry to assess possible public losses from allegedly manipulated Adif contracts and seek repayment.
The inquiry follows an audit report that found serious irregularities in contracts awarded by the rail infrastructure manager.
The report identified at least two contracts involving Obras Públicas y Regadíos (OPR), worth €85 million in total and funded by European Union funds.
Adif’s former president, Pedro Marco de la Peña, defended the awards and denied that they had been manipulated.
A separate judicial investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office is also under way.
- Who
- Spain’s Court of Auditors is conducting the inquiry. The contracts concern Adif and construction company OPR.
- What
- The court is investigating alleged manipulation of Adif contract awards and aims to calculate any loss to public funds and recover the money.
- When
- The inquiry was reported on 9 November 2026. Adif received internal complaints in 2022.
- Where
- At Adif, Spain’s rail infrastructure manager. Its headquarters is in Madrid.
- Why
- An audit report identified serious irregularities and alleged favouritism in contract awards.
Spain’s Court of Auditors
Adif’s former president Pedro Marco de la Peña
Contract awards
Spain’s Court of Auditors
The audit report identified serious irregularities and allegations of manipulated awards.
Adif’s former president Pedro Marco de la Peña
Marco defended the awards and denied that they had been manipulated.
Adif received two internal complaints alleging that tender scores had been falsified to favour a company.
Adif received a request for information from the European Anti-Fraud Office, according to the former president’s written submission.
Guardia Civil agents went to Adif’s headquarters, according to the article.
El Mundo reported that the Court of Auditors had opened its inquiry.
- Contracts
- At least two involving OPR
- Total contract value
- €85 million
- Internal complaints
- Two received by Adif in 2022
- Adif headquarters
- Madrid
- Separate investigation
- European Public Prosecutor’s Office
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con fecha 13 de abril de 2023 se recibió en Adif una solicitud de información cursada por la Oficina Europea de Lucha contra el Fraude (OLAF)