“Tienda Falangista,” money from Recovery fund in Spain used pro-Franco initiatives

Brussels – Flags, books, accessories, even toys: all are strictly themed, nostalgic, too nostalgic. In Spain, some promote the defenders of Francoism, even with a store. It is called “Tienda Falangista,” store of the Falange, the fascist-inspired movement that Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera founded in 1933 and that became Francisco Franco’s party in 1939. An online store funded with European Union digital transition money, and for which the European Commission seems to be able to do little.

Raising the case is Idoia Villanueva Ruiz, a Podemos (the Left) MEP, who is asking how the resources made available through the Recovery Mechanism and the Recovery Fund, which finance the National Recovery Plans (NRRPs), are being spent.  The book section of the online portal includes titles like “Romanian Waffen-SS Volunteers” and “Viking Race” on the SS Viking Division. There is also a Playmobil Falange with children doing the Fascist salute. According to the Spanish Left and the Sanchez government, it is the collection of shame. However, little or nothing is being done by the European Commission that a few weeks ago at the European Parliament condemned all forms of fascism and the Acca Larentia commemorations.

“The regulation on the Recovery Fund does not contain provisions that allow the Commission to exclude entities from national schemes,” said Paolo Gentiloni. The Economy Commissioner notes that national authorities are responsible for the proper use of funds;  therefore, the government in Madrid must intervene. “Spain is solely responsible for choosing the recipients of funds under this investment” on digitization. Brussels cannot modify national calls for tenders.  With 80 billion euros in guarantees, 83 billion in loans, and 163 billion euros in total, Spain, in addition to Italy, is one of the main beneficiaries of the EU’s post-pandemic economic recovery plan. In this sea of money, Spain’s strategy “includes an investment in a ‘digital toolkit’ that is part of a broader investment on digitization and innovation,” Gentiloni stressed. Tienda Falangista falls under the Digital Kit Program, supported by the government of Socialist Pedro Sanchez, as the description on the portal reads.
There still could be future actions against the central government since the Commission has “its own verification and control strategy with solid checks and balances, including audits of national control systems.” The Commission will split hairs in Madrid after the Parliament put the idea in the Commission’s head.