The Valencian Government met this Friday in Vall d’Ebo. Two weeks after the fire that devastated 1,250 hectares was declared extinguished, Consell went all the way to Marina Alta to hold its regular general meeting on Fridays. Generalitat has yet to set a figure for the compensation it will pay to those affected. Expert opinion and damage assessment work is still ongoing and to date 200 files have been processed regarding this incident and the incident that took place in Bejís (Castellón). However, the Executive chaired by Ximo Puig met at the epicenter of the tragedy in the province as a gesture of support for those affected, giving the green light to the agenda scheduled for the meeting. But it’s an order of the day with winks in the key of Alicante, such as giving the green light to the decree to pay 6 euros per night per stay to hotels affiliated with Imserso. It was something done early in a busy day that included the second session of the XIII Seminar de Govern held in Alcoy to outline the 2023 budget.
The three-day invasion of the Valencian Rulers in the province of Alicante, particularly in the regions of l’Alcoià and El Comtat, brings Consell’s mechanism to full capacity at the start of the new political year. This Friday was the first plenary meeting after the summer break, apart from the extraordinary meeting held on August 30 to promote the fire relief ordinance.
The choice of demarcation to start Alicante’s plenary sessions and start negotiations on next year’s accounts is not accidental. The state is positioned as a strategic location for a Consel that reiterates its focus on governance, not elections, but which, in turn, sends the message that the budgets to be created will not be the last of its mandate. , but the first of Botànic III, according to vice president Aitana Mas. This time, Consell wants to avoid the real-time published scuffles that have characterized the negotiation of accounts in previous years. The aim is to convey a message of unity and stability that remains to be seen. For now, Compromís and Unides Podem have signed an alliance to strengthen the negotiation against PSPV. One of the elements that could tighten the rope is tax reform announced by the head of Consell, a tax cut that Mas allegedly learned the day before the announcement. Even so, sources in the vice president’s circle stressed that this time they were informed before they were made public, something that didn’t always happen long ago.
Consell is determined to intensify government action in Alicante and rectify a state’s woes on budgetary issues. So much so that the Generalitat recently demanded that the central government end the marginalization it has condemned in the state in its 2022 budget, in which it allocates only 15% of the funds allocated to the global community. The situation just got worse in the region where the main opposition party PP holds the main stronghold of power. It is also the province where Compromís limped the most, as it had received half of the votes in Valencia in the previous election. And the left knows very well that without the Compromise, the chances of retaining the Generalitat are practically impossible.
Among the deals approved at Consell’s general meeting yesterday, the deal aimed at subsidizing Imserso hotel accommodations was one of the most important. This will have a significant impact in the province and is a measure that puts an end to the struggle of tourism entrepreneurs against the central government and especially the Ministry of Social Rights, at least for now. 22 Euros per day per tourist staying on full board basis; A price that Hosbec employers have branded as unacceptable to the point where they consider leaving the program. In the end, that won’t be the case, but this edition has given the Community 30,000 fewer stays than the previous one.
On-demand transportation for unpopulated areas
Consell went to the epicenter of depopulated Alicante, the region with the highest concentration of municipalities at risk of depopulation, to approve one of the measures aimed at guaranteeing resources to the population living there. At the plenary meeting of the Vall d’Ebo, it was decided to provide temporary assistance directly to the municipal councils to facilitate the implementation of public transport upon request. In order to facilitate access to education, health or social service centres, the total amount of aid for 365 municipalities with a population of 5,000 or less is 5 million Euros. Meanwhile, work continues on the specific plan for the socio-economic reactivation of the Vall d’Ebo after the August fire, on measures to be agreed with the socio-economic representatives of the affected regions.
At the plenary meeting this Friday, the Valencia Board of Directors also approved the preliminary draft of the Universal and Inclusive Accessibility Act, which aims to guarantee the rights and compliance with the terms and requirements of full accessibility for all people. The emergency statement was also approved to repair the damage done to agricultural infrastructure by the storm in March 2022 with five million euros in aid.
78% of targets met since February meeting
Consell approves of its management. The Valencian Government evaluated the degree of compliance with the objectives set at the previous Seminar held in Altea in February and concluded that 78% of the challenges identified by the ministries were met.