His portfolio ranges from migration to public security. But the burning question facing Spain’s interior minister this week was: how does his dog get around, and is it in the government plane?
In a written question submitted to the conservative People’s party this week, the opposition Socialists asked whether Jorge Fernández Díaz’s official car or plane had ever been used exclusively to transport Lola, his small white dog.
They asked: “Was the official transportation of the ministry of the interior, be it aerial or terrestrial, used to exclusively transport the dog Lola, who belongs to the minister of the interior?”
The question was sparked by rumours circulating in the ministry, said Antonio Trevín, one of the Socialist MPs who signed off on the written question. “We had information that for the past few months there had been worries about the minister using public resources, like official transportation – both air and land – for the exclusive use of his dog.”
On Wednesday, Pilar Grande, a Socialist, asked the minister about the issue in the lower house of parliament. Holding up a picture of her own dog, Kira, she noted that her dog travelled in a kennel in the cargo hold of planes. She said: “Can you guarantee that you do the same with your dog Lola?”
“If this is the level of control put to the minister of the interior by the Socialist party, it’s cause for concern,” Fernández Díaz replied, just as his allotted speaking time ran out.
The minister later denied the rumours. “My little dog has never travelled alone on an official plane,” he told El País, providing the newspaper with tickets that had been recently bought for the dog to travel on Spain’s high-speed rail network.
His response was insufficient for Trevín, who pointed out that it was provided to the media rather than in parliament. He said: “He hasn’t officially responded to the question.” Trevín vowed to publicise the answer as soon as the Socialists obtained it, and added: “We’re not rushing to any judgments. We’re just asking for clarification.”
If the rumours turned out to be unfounded, he said, then he and his colleagues would have helped clear up the issue. Trevín said: “Our obligation as the opposition is to monitor the government and this is just another task of keeping the government in check.”
