Spanish Government Faces Scrutiny Over Submarine Sale Rumor Sparked by April Fools’ Joke

The government of Pedro Sanchez sent on April 18 a response to the series of questions that Senator Carles Mulet had addressed to it on December 28 about the alleged sale of this submarine to Morocco at the symbolic price of 1 euro, information published by the specialized site Naval Forum which however specified at the end of the text that it was a "joke" to "celebrate the Day of Saint Innocent". The news had sparked a lively controversy on social networks.

But the Compromís senator took the matter seriously and on December 30 he sent a written question to the government. Carles Mulet wanted to know if the Spanish government has "guarantees that this equipment will not be used by the Moroccan regime against Spanish interests". In its response on March 2, the Spanish Executive stated that it was not aware "of any element that supports the veracity" of this information.

Following this laconic response from the government, the Valencia parliamentarian, apparently not satisfied, sent him a new question on March 16, asking if "the government refuses the sale of the Tramontana (S-74)". A few days ago, he sent another question to the government to ask it to provide him with "a clear answer" to his concerns.