Morant avoids responding about irregularities in the CNIO although he affirms that there is no “none”

The Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, has appeared this afternoon in the Senate to resolve doubts about the irregularities revealed by ABC at the National Oncological Research Center (CNIO) during the Maria Blasco stage as a scientific director.

Morant, … During his first intervention, he has supported the speech presented this morning by the Government about private universities. According to the minister, it cannot be “allowed to create beach bars” since a university “cannot be an vending machine of titles.” In addition, he has criticized the popular for the questions about the irregularities in the CNIO. The minister, who knew the irregularities in the agency although she refused to investigate them, has declined any responsibility that affects the ministry about this scandal: “The CNIO is governed by a Board of Trustees, a Board of Trustees of which this minister is not part.” In addition, he has justified the dismissal of María Blasco because “the work climate was incompatible with a center of excellence although no irregularity was detected.” To conclude his first intervention, he has affected that the popular “fear science, truth, scientific evidence.” After this, the appearances of the different groups of the Senate have begun and from the socialist bank they have taken advantage of their turn to praise the work of the minister.

PP Senator Elena Castillo has been very hard with Minister Morant during her question shift. “You promised to leave the skin in defense of science and have not done so, what you have achieved is angry researchers, scientists and university students,” said the popular. After this, she has begun to recount the anomalies of María Blasco at the head of the Cnio, focusing on the extra collection that the director of the public body perceived during her stage. “Is María Blasco returned the almost 300,000 euros that were excessively charged?” The senator wondered. As if that were not enough, Castillo recalled the expense of more than one million euros for the Cnio Arte program: “In 2019, a million euros were spent for artistic promotion, not for cancer investigation.” Finally, he has criticized the management of María Blasco at the head of the Foundation and as “began with a surplus of 42 million euros and has ended with a deficit of 3 million euros. Will you assume any responsibility for irregularities?

After this, Diana Morant has begun to answer the questions of the different groups present, taking the opportunity to criticize the pact achieved between PP and Vox in Valencia to present budgets in the Valencian Community. The minister, during her speech, has answered all the issues of the senators present except those related to the CNIO.

The lack of answers has not sat well on the bench of Núñez Feijóo, which during his second turn of questions have returned to the charge with the questions about the National Oncological Research Center. “He has not answered if María Blasco will return the more 300 thousand euros she has charged too much,” said the senator, “who attacks officials is the PSOE, represented in her person.” About the lack of General Budgets Castillo has asked the minister if she believes that “science is worse” because there have been no budgets.

Morant, in his last turn, has decided to quickly answer the questions asked by the popular senator. «I would like to have new budgets? Yes. Are the best science budgets that this country extended? Yes, “the Minister answered,” if the new budgets are like yours in the Valencian Community that are conditioned by Vox, I dare to say that it can be governed without new budgets. ”

Finally, he has responded about the situation of irregularities in CNIO: “I affirm with total roundness, both in the CSIC and in the CNIO, that there is no irregularity in the research centers.” The socialist has criticized that from the Popular Party, “the modus operandi that they use with everything” is being used: “That their pseudomedia or related means are making statements and sowing doubts about very serious organisms of our country so that you can come today with the holder to shave the Government of Spain.” Finally, addressing the senators of the PP, the minister stressed that “when Spain is doing well, it is wrong because this society has discovered that with a radically different recipe from its own that is that of the chainsaw.”

Session boundary

• Access to premium content is open by courtesy of the establishment where you are, but right now there are too many users connected at the same time. Please try it after a few minutes.

Try again

You have exceeded the session limit

• You can only have three sessions initiated at the same time. We have closed the oldest session to continue sailing without limits in the rest.

Keep sailing