Municipal Cooperation Fund has become a focal point in recent political discourse. At a time when Alicante Provincial Council was led by Carlos Mazón, the president of the regional government body, and amid tensions with Botànic, disagreements over how the investment plan should be distributed and whether it should appear in the provincial budget remained unresolved. The dispute even reached the Valencian Cortes, underscoring the high stakes involved. With the session back in session, PSPV-PSOE pressed for accountability from the regional council regarding these issues.
Members of the Socialist group, including Elche MP Ramon Abad and the board member José Muñoz, requested the regional presidential secretary to appear before the Justice, Government and Local Administration commission. They sought explanations from Cayetano Garcia and the General Director of Local Governments, José Antonio Redorat, about this year’s criteria for allocating the Cooperation Fund.
Cooperation Fund Comes into the Loop: Debate Moves to Valencia Cortes
This debate is not new to the regional parliament. The PSPV has already filed a non-legislation proposal in mid-October to address questions surrounding the investment project. In response, the PP argued that the provincial will and autonomy should be respected. The contention intensified after the Constitutional Court invalidated two articles of the Valencian funding law, leaving the rest intact and prompting both PP and PSPV to stake claims as the rightful stewards of the fund. [citation: Valencian Court records]
During the October 25 Cortes session, the PP sought to push the project toward the framework established by the previous regional administration. Mazón signaled plans to amend the Botànic law. The PP also announced collaboration with government partners Vox and three allied groups to craft a new plan that would supersede the one initiated by Ximo Puig. By the end of October, the majority parties reiterated that their positions remained sharply divergent from one another. [citation: Cortes proceedings]
The PP project emphasizes strengthening the smallest municipalities by ensuring municipal councils can fund essential services. It’s framed as a proactive step against population decline and as a response to PSPV claims that the County Council owes municipalities nearly one hundred million. The debate centers on securing funding for the Alicante municipalities accountable for administering the Cooperation Fund. [citation: regional budget records]