The VOX Municipal Group in the Torrelodones City Council has publicly denounced the expulsion of two of its councilwomen from the Plenary Session held on April 16. The councilwomen, who hold responsibilities in areas such as Social Services, Family and Seniors, and Cultural Activities, were each fined 750 euros by the mayor.
According to the party, the official recording of the session demonstrates that the councilwomen acted with institutional respect at all times, exercising fundamental rights outlined in the Municipal Organic Regulations (ROM), such as requesting to speak due to allusions or using their right of reply. VOX accuses the mayor of preventing them from intervening, violating articles 83 and 93 of the ROM, and describes the expulsion as an "arbitrary, disproportionate, and profoundly undemocratic act."
“"We are facing a deliberate attempt to turn the Plenary Session into a space without real opposition, where only those who agree with the municipal government are allowed to speak."
The imposition of financial sanctions is considered by VOX to be a "political punishment" aimed at intimidating and silencing those who do not align with the municipal government's discourse. Furthermore, they allege that the mayor used "false information" to justify her decisions, by claiming that the group refuses to negotiate budgets, despite official records proving the contrary.
In response to this situation, VOX has demanded the immediate withdrawal of the fines, the definitive archiving of the disciplinary file, and an end to what they consider authoritarian practices in the functioning of the Plenary Session. The party has announced that it will pursue this matter "to the fullest extent in the political and judicial spheres," in defense of freedom and legality.
For their part, sources from the Popular Party have responded to the accusations, suggesting that VOX's complaint merely shows that the councilwomen are only concerned about money. They recalled that an expulsion from the Plenary Session entails a financial sanction, as established in articles 152 and subsequent articles of the ROM. They clarified that the corresponding file is open and has been forwarded to the interested parties to present their allegations, indicating that the sanction has not yet been determined. The PP also noted that the VOX Group was previously sanctioned for leaving the Plenary Session without prior communication, stating that this is the consequence for those who do not respect institutions.
