Alicante’s business community is intensifying its public campaign against perceived discrimination in the General Government Budget project. The result is a clear concern that the province has fallen to the bottom of per capita investment nationwide, receiving only about one third of the national average. On Wednesday, a press conference was planned at the CEOE to draw attention to the situation, and on Tuesday the chair of the Alicante Chamber of Commerce, Carlos Baño, met with José Luis Bonet, president of the Spanish Chamber, to describe the planned investments for the province as shameful and to express discomfort within the local business landscape. The meeting also included the president of the Valencian Community Chamber Council, Jose Vicente Morata.
Carlos Baño and his counterpart Carlos Baño from the Alicante Chamber Support Office, together with leaders from Orihuela and Alcoy Chambers of Commerce, are preparing a joint document outlining priority actions for Alicante. This document is being developed in collaboration with the Chambers of Valencia and Castellón and the Spanish Chamber, with the aim of aligning regional needs with national policy.
In a show of broad backing, CEV has joined the protest, arguing that the budgeting issue signals a broader social problem and stressing that partisan politics should not be allowed to exploit the situation.
State investments: from 84.5 euros in Alicante to over 1100 euros in Soria
Carlos Baño underscored that the entire community wants to participate in the concentration, regardless of political color. He noted the inclusion of unions and other social actors in the discussion, asserting that it is unacceptable that government budgets fail to back social justice issues that affect the future opportunities of Alicante’s residents. He warned that the province experiences serious underfunding not only as a whole but especially within Vega Baja, and that the current budgets are worsening this disparity. The call is clear: the state should recognize Alicante’s contribution to Spain’s economy, underlined by the province’s impact on the country’s GDP.
The dialogue emphasized a shared need for corrected budgeting, with officials signaling that the central administration must increase investment in Alicante to reflect its regional and national importance. The message was simple: fair funding should match the province’s size, needs, and economic role within the country.
Worst budgets in history for Alicante
Baño stressed that the chamber exists to voice the demands of Alicante and to ensure the concerns reach Madrid. The mood among business leaders is one of deep concern and indignation over how the state has treated the province in these allocations. In addition to the budget issue, other topics discussed included the chamber’s training programs and projects such as energy communities developed with the Diputación. These efforts focus on environmental sustainability by boosting the use of renewable energy and helping to lower energy costs for companies, municipalities, and residents alike.
The discussions also touched on how local governance can support sustainable economic activity, illustrating a broader strategy that looks beyond mere numbers to the practical benefits for the Alicante community. This pragmatic approach aligns with similar regional concerns in North American markets, where fiscal fairness and investment in infrastructure are understood as drivers of long-term competitiveness.