In Alicante, the provincial leadership faced a pivotal budget vote for the coming year. For the first time in this mandate, the provincial agency’s budget was approved with the support of the government bloc, while opposition parties PSPV-PSOE and Compromís opposed it. This marked the third time that the Socialists voted against, and the first time Valencians abstained in the last three years. PSPV justified the opposition by pointing to the government team’s decision not to participate in the Generalitat-supported Municipal Cooperation Fund. Compromís argued that removing the provincial surcharge for the Economic Activity Tax would halt payments from local Alicante businesses.
highest in history
The approved budget totals 283.7 million euros for 2023, reflecting a 4.3% increase from the previous year and representing the highest figure in the history of the Diputación. The budget debate carried a ceremonial air, echoing the mood seen in the Valencian Parliament the day before as another set of budgets was approved for the following year. Representatives from both institutions recognize that their current term is nearing its end, and already focus on the 2023 elections. In this climate, Diputación’s president Carlos Mazón engaged more in dialogue with the opposition than in past days, adopting a measured tone that underscored his political stance.
The Alicante Provincial Assembly approved its budget, with the opposition voting against it.
The session featured a careful, collaborative negotiating process that had already yielded an agreement by the previous day. This approach has been a hallmark of Mazón’s tenure, though it has not extended to other administrations, such as the Generalitat. The ongoing friction between the State Legislature and the Generalitat has persisted for several years, with the PPCV leader repeatedly accusing the Botànic coalition of trying to impose rules that disadvantage smaller municipalities. The opposition’s stance shaped the day’s proceedings and colored the fiscal dialogue with a sense of strategic rivalry.
interventions
In the densely attended session, Mazón spoke last, and the popular group’s spokesperson, Eduardo Dolón, opened the discussion. The Torrevieja mayor reiterated a stance of openness and a willingness to reach consensus with the opposition. The Cs spokesperson and Deputy Infrastructure Javier Gutiérrez asserted that the Generalitat was attempting to impose a distribution model that would harm small municipalities.
The socialist side offered the freshest critique, accusing the ruling team of rejecting any cooperative approach to the fund. A significant contingent of socialist mayors from the province had gathered outside the Provincial Palace to demand a place in Generalitat’s investment program, arguing that participation had been blocked from the outset as a political maneuver against President Puig. .
The session’s surprise element was Compromís’s vote against the budgets for the first time in this post. Spokesperson Gerard Fullana announced an agreement with the government team to increase the Cerca Plan funding from 30 to 43.5 million euros, explaining that none of Compromís’s seven proposals found a place in the normal budget, which he labeled a “propaganda operation.” He also criticized the decision to eliminate the IAE, arguing that the Provincial Assembly was losing nine million euros in potential revenue. .
A Christmas moment, tinged with farewell notes
After the general assembly, the Special Provincial Administration proceeded to MARQ for the traditional Christmas toast with the press in attendance. President Mazón and the four spokespersons delivered remarks that carried a distinct sense of transition. The leader of the People’s Party used the moment to signal the approaching changes, symbolically handing a suitcase to the lawmakers as a visual reminder of the coming time of change. .