The active group within the Orihuela City Council, which has challenged the latest pledge by the socialist alderman Carolina Gracia, announced the onset of a Business Park project and vowed to push ahead with its realization. With the mayoral election slated for May 28, supporters expect the plan to become a tangible project soon. Emphatically, former mayor Emilio Bascuñana stated that the business park holds more potential than what is currently being pursued and urged making the most of existing developments.
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During the discussion, the group recalled that two years have passed since the prior administration, when on April 14, 2021, Industry Council Member Víctor Bernabéu and Miguel Ángel Fernández led the presentation of the draft Business Park Plan to the economy ministry. The proposal was formally made public and then sent to the district administration for processing on July 13, 2021. It took a year and a half to document the governance framework for this 2.2 million euro Business Park plan, along with multiple industry assessments. The square meter site, located in the A-7 region, was considered the most suitable option. Since November 2022, when the Scope for Strategic Environmental and Regional Work document was approved, progress has stalled, leaving key tasks untouched, according to Bascuñana.
The party argued that the governing PSOE should curb its promises, insisting Orihuela deserves seriousness and leaders who act with integrity. The group highlighted a pattern where PSOE, together with Ciudadanos and the party Cambiamos, announced improvements to the business park and the Puente Alto industrial zone but delivered little beyond commitments and, in some cases, a loss of subsidies.
Pointing to the shooting range project, the group noted substantial investment exceeding two million euros, underscoring that ongoing services remain essential. It also referenced uncontrollable events that disrupted what had been achieved, underscoring the need for steady, practical action rather than rhetoric.
Finally, the group lamented the situation at the end of the term regarding the vice mayor from Cs, who, despite holding office, is seen as having fallen short on delivering tangible benefits for Gracia and Orihuela.