Spanish court summons executive behind Pedernales airport construction
José Manuel Entrecanales, chairman of construction and infrastructure company Acciona, has been ordered to appear before a court in Pamplona on September 4 after failing to attend two sessions of a parliamentary investigation committee in Spain examining public contracts.
The summons follows Entrecanales’ absence from hearings before the Parliament of Navarre’s investigative committee, despite being called to testify on January 20 and February 9. While the committee has since completed its work, the matter has now moved into the judicial arena following complaints over his failure to appear.
In March, the Bureau of the Parliament of Navarre agreed to refer the case to prosecutors, arguing that the executive had not complied with the parliamentary summons. According to Spanish media reports, Entrecanales was warned that neither written submissions nor the attendance of company representatives would substitute for his personal appearance.
On both occasions, Acciona sent senior executives Joaquín Mollinedo, the company’s Director of Institutional Relations, Communication and Brand, and José Julio Figueroa to represent the firm. The company also submitted documentation questioning whether the summons issued to its chairman complied with the legal framework governing parliamentary investigative committees.
However, prosecutors reportedly concluded that Entrecanales’ absence lacked sufficient justification and moved forward with legal proceedings linked to the missed appearances.
The development comes as Acciona remains under scrutiny in Spain. The company has been mentioned in investigations being conducted by the Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Spanish Civil Guard. Acciona is also the company responsible for the construction of the international airport project in Cabo Rojo, Pedernales, one of the Dominican Republic’s flagship tourism development initiatives.
The September hearing will determine the legal consequences, if any, stemming from the Acciona chairman’s failure to comply with the parliamentary summons.
