The Generalitat argues that the General Government Budgets for 2023 include strategic investments for the Community of Valencia, with a focus on correcting long-standing funding disparities that have affected the province of Alicante. In 2022, investments in Alicante faced a sharp decline, amounting to a 38 percent reduction. The region received an injection of 183.5 million euros, a figure that represented only 15 percent of the Community of Valencia’s total and merely 1.4 percent of national allocations. This lag in investment helped push Alicante to the lowest position in the national funding ranking, despite its population size and infrastructural needs, leaving critical regional projects underfunded.
Jorge Alarte, the Director General for Relations with Autonomous Communities and Institutional Representation, emphasized that the Generalitat will collaborate with the central government to ensure that future accounts include priority actions and reflect higher investment levels. Written budgets must translate into concrete projects. For example, in 2021, the Community was promised 1,107 million in investments, yet only 469 million were executed, suggesting that more than half of the pledged infrastructures did not materialize. Alarte argued that the state must address Alicante’s underfunding and strive to secure a minimum 10 percent share of PGE investments for the Community of Valencia, aligning with broader economic and social representation across the country. In 2022, the per capita allocation to Alicante stood at 97 euros, significantly below the national average by 177 euros.
Government cuts push Alicante to the bottom in per capita investment
The director-general called for mechanisms to guarantee a 10 percent allocation of the General Budgets at the executive level, referencing a monitoring commission established to evaluate infrastructure projects. He also highlighted 2023 projections that should reflect a prioritized vision for the Alicante region. He asserted clearly that Alicante must be a priority in nationwide planning.
The situation in Alicante reflects imbalances in infrastructure, equipment, and investment needs that require correction. The discussion also pointed to the linkage between tourist zones and the airport, and the need to improve actions around the Marina and the Vega Baja area, as well as crucial facilities within the city of Alicante itself. Finance Minister María Jesús Montero seemed unaware of these concerns until recently; in remarks to this publication, she noted that Alicante had not been identified as the country’s most underfunded province and suggested that future infrastructures would bring regional alignment when the time is right.
2022 Budget reduces investments in the province by 38 percent
The ongoing narrative underscored the impact of constrained funding on Alicante and highlighted the importance of coherent collaboration between regional and national authorities. The balance between urgent needs and long-range infrastructure planning remains a central theme for policymakers aiming to strengthen the province’s role within the Valencian Community and the nation as a whole.
Immediate response to crisis and recovery
In another thread, Alarte pointed to demonstrated cohesion between the Generalitat and the central government. Their joint actions were evident not only in the firefighting efforts that protected the Valencian Community but also in rapid responses to emergencies, including the declaration of affected municipalities—La Vall d’Ebo, Bejís, Les Useres, Venta del Moro, Petrer, Olocau and Calles—as civil protection emergency zones.
The director-general stressed that the Generalitat will lead measures designed to expedite post-crisis assistance to citizens and institutions as swiftly as possible.
Alarte recalled other successes achieved through intergovernmental coordination, such as unblocking infrastructure projects and advancing new routes that positively affect life quality in the region, including improved rail access to Valencia and the modernized connection to Morella. These steps are framed as part of a broader strategy to boost regional resilience and accessibility for residents and visitors alike.