Andorra PM Defends Direct Appointment of FEDA Director Amid Revolving Door Criticism

Xavier Espot, Andorra's head of government, has defended the appointment of Sílvia Calvó as FEDA's new director general, rejecting opposition calls for a public selection process and insisting the decision complied fully with the law.

In a heated Consell General session, Espot dismissed demands from Concòrdia leader Cerni Escalé to reverse the move. Escalé praised Calvó's engineering background and energy transition expertise but criticised the direct designation as fostering "revolving doors," pointing to recent appointments at bodies like the Andorran Women's Institute, Superior Council of Justice, and attorney general's office. He claimed seven of the last eight went to former ministers or governing majority affiliates, urging a public procedure to promote internal talent at FEDA and avoid discrediting Calvó by preventing her from proving superiority over rivals.

Espot rebuffed the idea sharply, stating the government would not backtrack "especially not because you say so, when we have complied with the law." He noted FEDA's statute requires direct government appointment without mandating competitions, adding: "We will not invent convoluted processes just to look good." The choice followed board consultations over the past four to six months after Albert Moles signalled retirement. Despite losing his chief of staff, Espot said he prioritised public interest, viewing Calvó as the top candidate among many after deliberation.

The debate expanded to broader partisanship claims. Escalé decried the pattern in a small country; Espot countered that he never demands party cards, stressing technical merit. He cited non-Demòcrates appointees including Jordi Nadal at Andorra Telecom, David Cerqueda at AFA, Marta Alberch at the Housing Institute, Imma Jiménez at RTVA, Betim Budzaku at Andorra Turisme, and Sílvia Cunill at AREB.

Separately, Interior Minister Conxita Marsol addressed driving licence changes raised by Social Democrat deputy Laia Moliné, who faulted poor communication risking public confusion. Marsol admitted glitches in the photo system for the new format, which uses outdated passport images—sometimes from age 14—for Andorran nationals. Aimed at boosting reliability, security, and 10-year durability, the updates exposed emission flaws, prompting machine adaptations. Existing licences remain valid until expiry, with no category or procedure changes; both old and new models meet Vienna Convention standards and are recognised in partner countries. Marsol stressed fixes preceded publicity, now planned, and noted no issues abroad.

Moliné insisted prior information on official documents is essential, not optional. Digital wallet recognition drew further scrutiny, with Digital Transformation Minister Marc Rosell defending Spain-first homologation amid EU delays. He highlighted the system's readiness, one-in-four usage rate, and progressive expansion without modifications. Moliné questioned prioritising bilateral over direct EU ties.