Does the Spanish interior minister’s dog enjoy air travel perks?

Did the Spanish interior minister’s dog, Lola, fly alone using official government transportation?

The Socialist Group in Congress has put this written question to the Popular Party (PP) executive, in a bid to clear up rumors regarding the travel arrangements of Jorge Fernández Díaz’s pet.

Asked by EL PAÍS, Fernández Díaz said that “the little dog has never traveled alone on an official airplane.” He also produced receipts for AVE high-speed rail tickets covering the Madrid-Barcelona route, priced at the “pet rate” of €26.70. The last one is dated March 9.

If it all turns out to be “baseless rumors,” Socialist deputy Pilar Grande pledges to clear it up in public

“If this is the level of congressional control over ministry matters, it’s cause for concern,” added Fernández Díaz.

The congressional question states: “Were official Interior Ministry transportation means, either aerial or terrestrial, used to exclusively transport the dog Lola, owned by the interior minister?”

The query was filed by Socialist deputies Pilar Grande and Antonio Trevín. Grande had already asked a similar question verbally during a debate session in Congress last Wednesday, when she discussed her own dog, Kira.

“Allow me to introduce Kira, who, like many other pets is a member of my family. When she travels, she does so inside her kennel, in the airplane’s hold, after paying her fees. Can you guarantee that you do the same thing with your dog Lola?” asked Grande, holding up a photograph of her own dog.

The minister’s pet, it appears, travels mostly on high-speed rail, but sometimes by air.

“The minister travels like any other citizen when he is with his dog, whether on an airplane or on the AVE, without privileges of any kind,” said ministry sources.

Other receipts show a trip made to Valladolid, which cost €9.40 in cash, and a journey from Barcelona to Madrid for €34.70.

If this is the level of congressional control over ministry matters, it’s cause for concern”

Interior Minister Jorge Fernández Díaz

Grande later explained the reason for the question on the television program El Intermedio.

“For months now, the Socialist Group in parliament has been getting numerous indications that official transportation is being used for personal purposes. When the ministry replies, I will send a copy so that all Spaniards can know whether the dog, dear little Lolita, travels in an official car or an official plane owned by the Interior Ministry.”

If, on the other hand, it all turns out to be “baseless rumors,” the deputy pledged to clear it up in public. “We will say that we confirmed it was not true, and will congratulate ourselves on the fact that official transportation is only used to benefit Spaniards.”

Meanwhile, deputy Trevín told Europa Press that “this government, and the interior minister specifically, gets state transportation and private transportation all mixed up.”