The spokesperson for the Alicante Provincial Assembly government team, Ana Serna, accused Ximo Puig, the head of Generalitat, of courting a new ally in Ciudadanos as part of a strategy to destabilize and subjugate the provincial institution. She emphasized the government team’s commitment to stability, stating it will stay united and cohesive for the remaining two months of the legislature, while strictly observing all laws and regulations.
In this frame, the Provincial Assembly’s second vice-president noted that the Personnel, Secretariat, and Intervention Departments are already reorganizing to align with the institution’s laws and regulations, not with the opposition’s preferences. The focus remains on everything that concerns deputies and district-appointed advisors.
Serna again praised the work of Javier Gutiérrez and Julia Parra, heads of the various government areas, and criticized the former Ciudadanos faction for allegedly handing over its remnants to Puig and the Catalans and the far-left Podemos as a move to destabilize the Diputación. She argued this was the price Ciudadanos would pay for Puig trying to lower the electoral threshold from 5% to 3% two months before the election, calling it Puig’s obsession with the Assembly.
A government spokesman recalled that beyond passing the Co-operative Fund Act to flex the legitimate financial autonomy granted to them, there have been repeated attempts to pass a no-confidence motion against this institution from Valencian socialism, all without constructive dialogue.
Puig and his radical left-wing trio cannot back a Provincial Assembly that defends citizens’ and municipal councils’ interests, rather than bowing to the humiliation of Alicante being last in Spain for State investments. The province will persist in pursuing the water transfers required in the future. The base will be defended, Serna asserted.
Regarding the government team, the vice president defended the institution’s track record over the past four years, noting that it has operated in an exemplary manner, consistently seeking dialogue and agreement. He added that this approach has delivered the highest level of investment in the city’s history.
Serna described Parra and Gutiérrez’s work as exemplary and asserted that the leadership of Ciudadanos has shifted toward destabilizing the administration to serve Puig and his associates. He insisted that the government team will remain united and harmonious for the rest of the legislature, fully complying with laws and regulations.
He confirmed that Julia Parra and Javier Gutiérrez will retain their powers as assigned MP figures, provided they receive only attendance fees for committee and plenary sessions. For consultants, the technical services of the Provincial Assembly are evaluating the situation, and once reports are available, they will be presented at the plenary session to adopt the appropriate legal and regulatory measures.
Serna also dismissed criticism from opposition groups about defectors, recalling Puig’s personal meetings withCiudadanos defectors to approve the 2017 budgets. In parallel, he criticized the Crevillent City Council situation, where L’Esquerra de Crevillent expelled Josep Candela, a councilor who still holds government powers within the party. He questioned the spokesperson for the council and suggested there are ongoing arrangements with Compromís for the upcoming election, implying internal deals within Crevillent.
Finally, the Provincial Assembly spokesman reviewed the list of Compromís and PSOE members who hold public responsibilities in the community, underscoring that lessons have not been learned from Ximo Puig and his associates.
— (Source attribution: Provincial Assembly statements) —