Miguel Ortiz, former mayor of Altea, has been named director of Proaguas Costa Blanca, a public company. His leadership in Altea and his affiliations with the People’s Party, Reconciliation, and PSPV-PSOE groups are noted amid a broader regional backdrop. Alicante Provincial Council, along with Ciudadanos, observes the unfolding moves from a distance and refrains from public commentary, choosing to watch how the conversation develops and what new perspectives emerge. Valencians and the Socialist party have accused the administration of obstructing the path to transparency and the proper placement of Ortiz. At the start of the Proaguas regime, this situation led the PP to respond with a pointed remark about further actions on the horizon.
Before the suspicions surrounding Ortiz were raised, discussions circulated about other appointments made by Compromís and PSPV across various public or mixed entities. One example involves a promotion sponsored by the Minister of Agriculture in Elche, with Mireia MullaRaising stepping into a chief of staff role and John Angel Conca taking a leadership position at the Valencia Community Wastewater Public Authority (Epsar). In the same institution, another leadership appointment was filled by an individual close to Compromís, mirroring a pattern in the broader political landscape, such as Francis Candle.
In defending the integrity of the selection process behind Ortiz’s ascent to Proaguas, supporters from the popular party also point to the PSPV. This time the focus rests on a June appointment under Eloy Hidalgo, who now leads Egevasa, a joint venture between the Valencia Provincial Council and Global Omnium. Hidalgo previously served as the general secretary of Altea’s PSPV and as a councilor for the town, a place Ortiz is known to have connections with. The Valencia state agency noted that Hidalgo’s appointment followed a merit-based selection process aimed at recognizing ability and talent.
The debate among groups active in the Provincial Assembly intensified on Wednesday, with PSPV and Compromís arguing that the Ortiz appointment to Proaguas lacked transparency. A socialist spokesperson claimed that the move appeared to place a former provincial head of the PP in office for nearly six years before elections. On Thursday, Compromís pushed the argument further, challenging Ortiz’s appointment and accusing the provincial council chair, Carlos Mazón, of turning the institution into a placement agency.