MADRID, 24 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Minister of Economy, Finance and Employment of the Community of Madrid, Rocío Albert, has been "frankly disappointed" that the capital's candidacy has not managed to host the European Authority to Combat Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (AMLA, for its acronym in English) and has alluded to the "exchange of letters" with former minister Nadia Calviño to preside over the European Investment Bank.

"We are frankly disappointed because it was an institutional collaboration involving the Minister of Economy, Mr. (Carlos) Corpus, the mayor of Madrid (José Luis Martínez-Almeida) and myself, and it was the best presentation. Not that we say so "But what the commission told us there in Brussels, we were the only ones who were really applauded and we thought we had a chance," the counselor defended this Saturday before journalists from the Plaza de España.

However, he has once again stressed that the letters were "marked from the beginning" by the "backing" of the central government, which "did not send a letter, as if the French or German prime minister did."

"Well, the truth is that it is a frank disappointment because it was very important to have a European headquarters in our region and in the city of Madrid (...) I believe that what has happened is that there was an exchange of letters first, and it is that it was agreed from the beginning that for Minister Calviño to be president of the EIB, the agency would be handed over to Frankfurt," Albert reproached.

The German city of Frankfurt won this Thursday over Madrid's candidacy and will host the new European Authority to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism, after this was decided in a joint vote by representatives of the Twenty-seven and, for the first time, from the European Parliament, as confirmed by the Belgian presidency of the Council.

Frankfurt has beaten, with 28 votes - the minimum majority necessary - the Madrid candidacy, which has obtained the second highest number of supports with 16, while Paris (France) has gathered 6 and Rome (Italy), 4 votes, several sources have confirmed to Europa Press. Vienna (Austria), Vilnius (Lithuania), Riga (Latvia), Dublin (Ireland), and Brussels (Belgium) also aspired to be the headquarters of the new agency.