Orihuela’s Council has launched an investigation into possible contract breaches by Espectáculos AMB Producciones, the company responsible for organizing the Medieval Market.
Following inspections during the three-day event, officials are preparing a technical report for the Procurement Committee to review.
The complaint comes from PiramideArt, one of the two companies that bid for the contract. This marks the second consecutive year it has reported over 40 contract violations by AMB Producciones.
Key issues include missing decorations, inadequate performances, a lack of required exhibitions, and fewer historical reenactments than specified.
Additionally, important attractions, such as a farm with seven different species, were not established. A commemorative figure for the event’s 25th anniversary was also missing.
PiramideArt argues that these breaches create an unfair advantage for AMB Producciones, which has won the contract multiple times despite failing to meet requirements.
They claim the event has become more focused on food stalls rather than its original purpose of historical and artistic representation.
The City Council previously fined another organizer, Asociación Solo Artesanos, €16,000 in 2019 and €9,500 in 2018 for similar breaches.
Last year, PiramideArt also submitted a report detailing non-compliance, but no action was taken.
The contract awarding process has also faced scrutiny. PiramideArt alleges that AMB used a loophole to bypass a 50-page limit on its project proposal, potentially influencing the selection process.
However, the City Council dismissed the appeal, stating that additional information provided by AMB was not considered in the evaluation.
Now, with the new investigation underway, the Procurement Committee will decide whether to impose sanctions on AMB Producciones.
