Question: How is the first year of the mandate at the Diputación being evaluated?
In terms of the administration’s day-to-day management, Toni Pérez inherits a poisoned legacy. The poor choices of Mazón cannot be undone in a single year. We are talking about the weak execution of Planifica, the + Cerca program, and the Cooperation Fund. It is easy to destroy but hard to build a new model. A year has not sufficed to reverse the situation, and that is alarming. The friction between the provincial government and the regional administration, once amplified for electoral reasons, has faded. There is no longer a provincial government in the same sense; now there is an administration that assists municipalities.
Question: Do you think the Diputación was used as a platform against the Botànic government?
The grand political move anticipated in the previous terms was largely performative. There was a lot of media effort to generate headlines over competences that were not theirs. Now there is less media activity because there is less effort to argue against the Generalitat. The governing team aims to undo some of the bad decisions of the previous PP administration. The consequences for municipalities are becoming clear, showing a governance rooted in missteps rather than sound administration. The focus was too often electoral, aimed at attacking Botànic rather than delivering steady services.
Question: There is also talk that your group lost influence without Gerard Fullana around.
Toni Pérez projects a politically institutional profile, focused on the Diputación’s duties. The responders maintain the same posture. In council meetings, most PP motions are not aimed at criticizing Pedro Sánchez. They did so in the last plenary but it is not the usual pattern. The aim is to fulfill administrative functions even when they are not the flashiest. The Diputación is a large, complex entity, and Compromís finds itself navigating that moment.
Question: In the last plenary, there was a clash with Vox following the Gata de Gorgos murder case…
Vox appears out of place, embracing ultra positions without engaging in real debate. Their entire argument comes prepackaged from Madrid, leaving no room for dialogue. While there was solidarity with the victim’s family in condemning the crime in Gata de Gorgos, there was also remorse over the politicization of the event, something Vox supported by stoking a political narrative. Vox opposed the condemnation, as they have been the instigators of such rhetoric.
Question: Does the government’s tourism strategy align with your view?
We want visitors—tourism is a vital revenue stream for the province of Alicante. Yet that doesn’t mean turning the territory into an amusement park or forcing workers to relocate. A significant effort is underway to promote a destination that remains livable for residents. Tourists must have access to health care, and local businesses should be able to hire workers. It is counterproductive to attract more customers if the local economy cannot sustain them. A careful balance is needed to ensure sustainable growth that benefits communities, workers, and service providers alike.
Endnote: For readers seeking ongoing coverage, additional context and analysis are provided by reputable regional sources and governance experts who observe the province’s political dynamics and policy outcomes. (Sources: official records and regional analyses, cited in context.)