The parliamentary group of the right-wing party Vox in the Parliament of Catalonia has been called upon to repay €7,600 for two invoices for meals with alcohol, which audit officials deemed non-fundable from public subsidies. These amounts, corresponding to €2,605 and €5,007, were returned to the parliament's treasury on February 18 and 19, 2026, after the Audit Office (Audit Office) indicated that these expenses could not be considered compliant with parliamentary activity. According to the 2024 audit report, the invoices included, among other items, high-alcohol beverages, and the party failed to provide sufficient justification or a list of meeting participants.

Repayment following audit

Vox repaid the Parliament of Catalonia a total of €7,600 for two 2024 invoices for meals, which the Audit Office deemed non-fundable from the public subsidy allocated for parliamentary group activities. The repayment occurred on February 18-19, 2026.

Nature of the contested expenses

The first invoice for €2,605 concerned a working lunch for deputies and staff, with auditors noting the lack of a participant list and the purchase of high-alcohol beverages. The second invoice for €5,007 was issued for a meal in Lleida, which was said to serve the presentation of the party's program in the agricultural sector.

Vox party's position

The Vox party claims the repayment was made voluntarily, "preempting" potential audit recommendations, and that it was merely "suggested" to them that these expenses could be considered as exceeding the scope of parliamentary activity. It also assured that both meetings served the party's political purposes.

Potential consequences

The final 2024 audit report opens the way for the parliament's bureau to officially demand Vox repay these amounts. This incident raises broader questions about the control of public expenditures funded by parliamentary groups in Catalonia.

The Spanish far-right party Vox has repaid the Catalan parliament the sum of €7,600 for expenses on two dinners, which the regional audit office deemed non-fundable from public funds allocated for parliamentary activity. The repayment occurred on February 18 and 19, 2026, after the Audit Office of the Parliament of Catalonia (Parliament of Catalonia) identified two specific invoices in its 2024 report as not corresponding to the permitted purposes of the subsidy. The first, for €2,605, concerned an alleged "working lunch" for deputies and staff, with auditors highlighting the lack of a detailed participant list and the fact that the bill included high-alcohol beverages. The second invoice, amounting to €5,007, was issued for a meal in the city of Lleida, which according to the party was intended to present Vox's program on agricultural issues. In an official statement, Vox attempted to present the repayment as a voluntary and preemptive gesture, claiming that the Audit Office merely "suggested" that these costs could be considered as exceeding the scope of the parliamentary group's activity. The party maintains that both events were related to its political work. However, the final audit report states that these expenses "have no place within parliamentary activity," and Vox did not provide sufficient explanations regarding the purpose of the meetings or the identity of the participants. The report provides the basis for the parliament's bureau to formally request the repayment of the funds. This event sheds light on the broader practice of expense reporting by parliamentary groups in Catalonia, which are funded by public grants. According to regulations, parties are obligated to provide detailed justifications for expenses incurred from these funds. The Vox incident is one of several cases reported by media where auditors question the transparency of political party expenditures. The system for financing parliamentary groups in Spain's autonomous communities originates from organic laws from the 1980s, which were intended to provide parties represented in regional parliaments with funds for conducting legislative and oversight activities.

Mentioned People

  • Ignacio Garriga — leader of the Vox group in the Parliament of Catalonia and the party's national general secretary