Government keeps Andorra Cycling Masters contract price secret

The government has again refused to disclose the full price of the contract to produce and promote the Andorra Cycling Masters, saying the awarded firm designated the total cost as confidential and citing article 31.4 of the Public Procurement Law to justify withholding the figure.

In a written reply to Social Democratic general councillor Laia Moliné, Tourism Minister Jordi Torres Falcó provided a partial breakdown of expenses tied to promotion and logistics that together totalled €62,291.18, of which €58,173.04 was recorded as spending on communications. Torres said the adjudicator, Iniciativas de Medios SA, had designated the contract price as confidential and that its disclosure "could affect commercial secrets or free competition," preventing publication of the full financial terms.

Torres reiterated that Andorra Turisme seeks to "reduce confidentiality clauses as much as possible" and described any reservations as "exceptional, motivated and limited" to the data strictly necessary to protect economic interests and competition. He also said the legal framework provides a balance between transparency and confidentiality and that the use of confidentiality is compatible with procurement and transparency obligations when properly justified.

The ministry noted that since the new Public Procurement Law came into force in September 2022, Andorra Turisme has signed 1,394 contracts, 83 of which include confidentiality clauses — just under 6% of the total. Torres pointed out that contracts prior to September 2022 are not included in those figures because Andorra Turisme was then governed by private law; the law introduced new obligations of publication and transparency while contract execution continues to be governed by private-law arrangements.

The government again offered Moliné the opportunity to consult the restricted documentation at Andorra Turisme’s offices and to take notes there, but stressed that any figures viewed would remain confidential and could not be published. The same confidentiality claim previously blocked a request from the Concòrdia group.

Moliné said the government's legal arguments did not answer how much the event actually cost and criticised the lack of transparency when public funds are involved. She said that, while confidentiality may be lawful, it is "not transparent" and that citizens have a right to know "how much is spent and on what." Moliné said she will inspect the restricted documentation to verify that the numbers provided are accurate and consistent with other information, and warned her party will consider further parliamentary actions if questions remain unanswered.

The government maintains that withholding specific economic data in narrowly defined cases is a legitimate protection of commercial secrets and competition, while other contract details remain subject to the public advertising and transparency obligations set by the procurement law.