Juan José Sellés, president of the Alicante State Employment Union (UEPAL), spoke about the regional economic dynamics shaping the province. He noted that a substantial portion of Alicante’s business activity is anchored in Madrid and Valencia, creating a perception that the province is edged toward the margins of the Valencian Community. Sellés pointed to several interrelated issues: the insufficient investment in public works within Alicante, the decision to route the high speed rail line to Madrid’s Chamartín station, and the broader effort to reinforce an economic zone that currently centers on the Port and the capital, with the Valencia-Cantabrian axis in Sagunto serving as a focal point. His remarks underscored a sense of missed opportunities and a need for a more balanced development strategy that recognizes the province as a key economic hub rather than a peripheral outpost.
The head of UEPAL urged representatives from across the Valencian Community to clarify their positions, aims, and the remedial measures they intended to implement. His aim was to ensure that Alicante would not be sidelined or left to cope with the outcomes of decisions made elsewhere. He emphasized that the province should not be treated as an afterthought, but rather as an integral part of a cohesive regional plan that benefits all territories within the Community.
Sellés argued that the financial bets currently in play are not inherently unfavorable; rather, they risk undermining Alicante’s interests when projects proceed without a clear development framework for the province. He stressed that advancing Valencia’s competitiveness at the expense of Alicante would harm local businesses, industries, and job creation. The concern was that industry and commerce in Alicante could be sidelined in favor of a more centralized model that prioritizes the metropolitan area over the inland provinces.
As a concrete example, Sellés cited the decision to connect the Alicante rail line to Madrid through the northern station rather than creating a direct link to the local airport and port. He explained that this approach could encourage new, low-cost carriers to operate from Valencia to Atocha, thereby diminishing Alicante’s ability to attract passenger traffic and tourism. In his view, the result would be a slower overall connection to northern markets, reduced access to tourist and commercial services, and a weakened link to the southern regions and Andalusia. He framed this as a missed opportunity for Alicante to integrate more effectively with the peninsula’s broader network.
Sellés also lamented that political choices had diluted investment momentum, giving the impression that the Valencian Community ends at Valencia itself. He argued that better connectivity to the north of the peninsula remains crucial and that investments should reflect a pan-regional scope rather than a purely Valencian-Cantabrian focus. In his assessment, the Mediterranean Corridor deserves a more descriptive and prominent role in Alicante, with investments that acknowledge the province as a strategic node within the broader corridor.
Speaking as both an Alicante resident and a representative of the Valencian Community, Sellés asserted a defense of the entire region. He insisted that the Community cannot accept a narrative in which Alicante is overlooked because the Next Generation funds are perceived to favor projects within a narrower economic sphere. He included examples such as the Port and the Airport as essential infrastructure that must be part of a balanced development plan. He stressed that prosperity for Valencia should not come at the expense of Alicante, and that true regional growth requires shared benefits that extend to all provinces within the Community.