Deputy and spokesperson for the well-known Alicante Provincial Council, Eduardo Dolón, directed a pointed remark at Ximo Puig: avoid wearing someone else’s medals, because that looks unsightly. He also urged Puig to push a concrete plan for infrastructure by running the TRAM project to connect Orihuela and Torrevieja. The aim would be to give citizens a usable link that both municipalities had promoted to the Provincial Assembly.
Dolón framed this as the province-wide announcement of the day and pressed Puig to coordinate with the Finance Minister, who held responsibility for Infrastructure when the project was being examined. In Orihuela, May 2021, work on TRAM moved forward with the current Minister’s involvement, and both officials noted that Diputación was advancing a preliminary proposal drafted by the University of Alicante with a budget allocation of 50,000 euros.
In his call, Dolón urged Puig to advance the project and get the tram in operation, emphasizing that the necessary groundwork had largely been completed. He reminded audiences that he once served as the mayor of Torrevieja, a post he held alongside Emilio Bascuñana, who later led Orihuela, and the head of Diputación, Carlos Mazón. Presenting the TRAM document in Orihuela in May 2021, he noted that the material had been prepared by the University of Alicante and authored by Armando Ortuño, and that it had been shown to the former Minister Arcadi, who indicated a review of feasibility in mid-2020 after public presentation. A statement from the Infrastructure Department followed from Madrid.
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Mazón: “Another 1,500 million has been collected and Puig offers to give back 150”
Dolón argued that the TRAM project Puig presents as a fresh initiative had been introduced in 2021, and that the province was already working on the preliminary plan because Mazón had committed to it. If Puig wants a medal, Dolón suggested, he should simply execute the plan. He urged Puig to engage in constructive dialogue with the government team and to expand discussions, noting that advisers David Spain and Rebecca Torro were aware that the idea and the blueprint existed and were associated with President Mazón.
Dolón insisted that if Puig desired formal recognition, he should align with his authority and implement the project. He accused Puig’s administration of years of arrogance and neglect in Vega Baja, pointing to a perceived focus on advertising and rhetoric rather than tangible projects for the south of the province. He argued this neglect reflected a broader pattern of surrender to Madrid rather than a vigorous local advocacy for Alicante’s interests, especially within the context of national policy discussions.
Throughout the exchange, Dolón stressed the importance of practical action over political posturing. The discourse highlighted competing timelines, funding allocations, and the practical steps required to move from concept to construction. The core claim remained that the TRAM link could serve as a real infrastructure asset for the region if the provincial government and Madrid aligned on priorities and budgetary commitments. The exchange underscored a broader debate about how best to translate public promises into executable transportation projects for residents of the province and beyond.