MEP Dolors Montserrat (PPE) has asked the European Commission to investigate whether the EUR 53 million public bailout of Spanish airline Plus Ultra, now at the centre of a criminal probe involving former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, violated EU law on transparency, equal treatment, and good administration. The question, submitted on 21 May 2026, targets the Commission’s approval of the bailout under the COVID-19 State aid framework and raises concerns about possible political influence and insider access.
Parliamentary question targets Commission oversight
Montserrat’s written question (E-002109/2026) follows the indictment of Zapatero by Spain’s National High Court for alleged criminal association, influence peddling, forgery, and money laundering in connection with the bailout. Plus Ultra has links to the sanctioned Venezuelan regime, and authorities in France, Switzerland, and the US are also investigating related financial schemes. The MEP asks the Commission to review whether the bailout was determined by interests connected to the government and whether inside information about the aid may have infringed EU principles.
Concrete asks and policy direction
first, that the Commission review whether the bailout could have been influenced by political interests and insider information; second, that it verify whether EU procedures on transparency, equal treatment, oversight, and good administration were violated. The MEP does not propose specific numerical targets or deadlines but calls for a formal review and verification process. The policy direction is towards stricter enforcement of State aid rules and anti-corruption safeguards, particularly when funds flow to entities with geopolitical ties.
Expected follow-up
The Commission is required to respond within approximately six weeks. Its answer will signal whether it sees grounds for reopening the approved aid or tightening future oversight. The case also tests the Commission’s willingness to scrutinise member-state bailouts approved under emergency frameworks, with implications for transparency in EU crisis spending and the integrity of the single market.
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