A coordinated meeting with business leaders and regional representatives underscored the ongoing discomfort in Alicante caused by a perceived neglect within national and regional budgeting. The General State Budget (PGE) has a long record, and unless a decisive turn occurs soon, a protest was announced for Thursday, October 27. The announcement came from Carlos Baño, president of the Chamber of Commerce, after a session with National Deputies and Senators from Alicante from the People’s Party. Joan Baldoví, spokesperson for Compromís in the Congress, also visited the chamber yesterday. These events followed two earlier meetings that built on the dialogue with PSPV-PSOE representatives last week.
The protest on the 27th arrives at a critical moment, just as the Generalitat prepares to publish its accounts for the coming year. The aim has long been to mitigate Alicante’s damage through regional budgets, yet critics argue the government led by Ximo Puig has not delivered. The deadline to submit changes to the PGE looms this Friday. Baño, in a gathering of Alicante’s business community, highlighted concerns including the province’s population flow and a per-capita investment not reaching 56 euros. [attribution: Alicante Chamber of Commerce]
Baldoví hopeful that the Government will fix the Alicante Budgets
In the day’s opening session in the parliament, members from the People’s Party — including national deputies César Sánchez and Macarena Montesinos and senators Pablo Ruz and Adela Pedrosa — attended. Following the lead of PPCV leader Carlos Mazón, the delegation focused its objection on Alicante’s situation under a joint administration led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and regional leader Ximo Puig. [attribution: PP parliamentary delegation]
Transfer
Deputy César Sánchez spoke on behalf of the PP, highlighting the party’s grievance over the ongoing reductions to the Tajo-Segura water transfer and the impact on local farmers. He warned that Puig bears responsibility for the damage and argued that the PGE fails to protect the province’s interests. Other PP MPs and senators pressed for reforms that would boost competitiveness and employment in Alicante, contending that the current budgets undermine the local economy and various productive sectors.
According to Sánchez, the budgets were described as a humiliation for Alicante. He stressed that without the essential infrastructure — such as the Mediterranean Corridor, connections linking the Port of Alicante to the airport, the rail link between the airport and Elche and Alicante, and the Torrevieja desalination plant — water issues and connectivity would continue to threaten regional growth and the broader countryside. The consequence, he warned, would be continued risk to productive sectors that rely on robust infrastructure.
anger
The second major session of the day in the Assembly featured Compromís spokesperson Joan Baldoví, accompanied by Alicante City Councilor Natxo Bellido. Baldoví voiced broad outrage over new problems facing Alicante and praised the Valencia coalition’s work in defending Valencian interests, while noting that many issues remain unresolved in Congress. He pointed to rail links with the airport and the modernization of Cercanías as top priorities that must be advanced alongside budgeting. He emphasized that execution is essential alongside funding, urging quicker implementation of agreed projects. [attribution: Compromís]
Additionally, Baldoví confirmed ongoing talks with the United States about proposed changes to the PGE as they affect Alicante, underscoring Compromís’s stance as a defender of Valencian interests.
Joan Baldoví stated, “I know Alicante’s anger has reached Madrid.” He appeared after a meeting at the Alicante Chamber of Commerce, expressing hope that central authorities will address the province’s needs in the General Government Budgets. “I don’t want to be overly optimistic, but I expect the forthcoming Budgets to improve upon the current ones because the sentiment from Alicante MPs makes clear a need for change,” Baldoví remarked to reporters after the Assembly session. [attribution: Baldoví interview]