Mazón highlights the Alicante County Council’s role in preventing depopulation and promoting equal opportunities
In Alicante, the budget discussion within the Provincial Assembly continued to polarize political lines. The left-leaning PSPV and Compromís pressed the government coalition of the PP and Ciudadanos, challenging the administration over how funds were allocated and the pace of implementation. After the latest settlement review, the socialist spokesperson voiced concerns about what he described as lower levels of execution, signaling ongoing dissatisfaction with how plans materialize into tangible results. The coalition’s spokesperson in Valencia, Gerard Fullana, added his critique by pointing to a notable decline in current transfers and other indicators, framing the figures as evidence of stalled progress. On the defense side, the government argued that the province had just completed its largest extraordinary investment program in history thanks to planned investments and the recovery of ruined assets this year. They emphasized that a substantial portion of the work tied to the plans Plus Cerca y Planifica would be executed in the coming years, positioning the current year as a turning point rather than a setback. The debate continues to center on execution rates, the use of one-off funds, and the long-term impact on local development. (Source: Provincial Assembly budget review report)
Mazón underscores the county council’s role in halting depopulation and leveling opportunities
The controversy featured remarks from a key provincial figure who raised questions about the management shift observed in the assembly’s liquidation report. The comment implied a shift from proactive planning to a more reactive approach, suggesting that the administration should have anticipated execution challenges sooner. The speaker noted that the prior year the province appeared to be catching up, while the current period shows signs of being off track. Critics from the Socialist party described what they view as a neglect of duties by the head of the State Assembly, accusing him of prioritizing career considerations in Palau over timely governance. This accusation formed part of a broader critique heard from the party over the past year. The message implied a pattern of administrative drift rather than decisive stewardship. (Source: Assembly briefing on the liquidation report)
Management Departments
In the latest assessment, the Socialist party cited a sustained decline in the year-over-year performance of management departments. The data showed a negative trajectory that culminated in an all-time low for real investments, marking a stark 24 percent drop, a figure described as the worst in the decade. The new data now signals the most unfavorable record in the history of the Diputación, sparking renewed calls for accountability and better prioritization of resources. Following criticism from PSPV, Compromís joined in, using the controller’s figures to brand Alicante as the region with the weakest budget execution among the three provincial councils, and significantly below the state average. Spokesperson Fullana tagged Mazón with responsibility for dragging the City Council toward what he called the worst administration figures in memory. He asserted that if last year’s execution levels were the nadir of the prior decade, the present data represent a far deeper trough. The remarks from Valencians stressed a need for sharper oversight and more aggressive corrective action. (Source: Controller’s budget execution data)
Facing these sharp charges, the settlement report and the government team defended the course of action by highlighting an extraordinary investment this year. They noted an additional €161 million in funding alongside the €248 million already planned in the budget. The newly mobilized resources were aimed at assisting self-employed individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises facing the economic and energy crisis, as well as supporting the most vulnerable groups with reduced resources in a crisis situation. The administration argued that this infusion of funds would enable targeted subsidies, job support, and resilience measures that would translate into tangible relief for families and local businesses. The exchange underscored a broader strategy to use one-off capital to bridge short-term gaps while laying the groundwork for sustainable, long-term growth across the county. (Source: Provincial budget narrative)