Pérez Llorca et son haut fonctionnaire devront déclarer comme cadeau à Transparencia les billets de la finale du mondial

The Spanish regional government of Valencia has ordered its top officials, including President Juanfran Pérez Llorca, to disclose publicly the gift of free tickets to the FIFA World Cup final through the Transparency Portal. According to local media reports, the requirement stems from the region’s transparency laws, which mandate that high-ranking officials declare any gifts they receive due to their position. Although the regional administration and the People's Party (PP) argue that the trip was private and did not involve public funds, the free access to the match, as granted to Pérez Llorca because of his status as the highest authority, means he must comply with these disclosure rules. His chief of staff, Vicente Ordaz, who accompanied him on the trip, will also have to provide similar information. Pérez Llorca spent four days attending the World Cup final, though no other regional leaders were present. Only the mayor of La Nucia, Bernabé Cano, a close confidant of the president, was among the attendees. The policy in place requires high-level officials to detail any received gifts, specifying the giver, description, date, and disposition of the item. This data must appear in the Transparency Portal, which includes a dedicated section for such disclosures. Until recently, Pérez Llorca had declared minor gifts, such as handmade figurines and a calendar, but the recent requirement covers more substantial items like the World Cup tickets. The law governing transparency and good governance mandates that officials should not accept gifts exceeding customary courtesy standards or offer advantages that might influence their duties. The Code of Good Government for the Valencian Community, enacted in 2016, further clarifies that officials must refrain from accepting gifts, favors, or services that go beyond social norms. It also requires public disclosure of any gifts given within these norms. However, the exact cost of the two tickets to the World Cup final remains undisclosed, despite the general price range for spectator seats being between €4,000 and €8,000 according to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). Some tickets, based on dynamic pricing, reportedly reached over $30,000. The notion of “customs of courtesy” is vague, yet it seems unlikely that a ticket to a World Cup final would fall under this category. While no other regional leader attended the match, several political figures and personalities did. Pérez Llorca claimed attendance was merely as a regular citizen and stated that he covered the travel costs himself, omitting details about the free entry. Meanwhile, the newly approved budget for the Valencian Regional Government allocates 90,000 euros to the RFEF for events like the Women’s Super Cup and world rankings, alongside 80,000 euros for the Valencian Football Federation. The RFEF has been criticized for failing to reveal who gifted the tickets to Pérez Llorca and others. Reports indicate that the federation has withheld this information, raising questions about accountability and transparency. While some officials claim the gesture was meant to honor the president, critics argue that such actions could set a precedent for unofficial perks. The lack of clarity surrounding the origin of the tickets and the absence of official statements from the RFEF continue to fuel speculation and calls for greater oversight. As the situation unfolds, the legal and ethical implications of such gestures remain under scrutiny.