The Assembly approves key appointments and leadership shifts
The General Assembly of the Council approved the new appointments. Carolina Punset is named autonomous secretary of the Generalitat Presidency for European Union and Foreign Affairs, and a new regional secretary will replace him in his previous post. Joan Calabuig, the Consell’s vice-president and spokesperson, explained that Punset will lead the Port Authority to strengthen relations between the City Council and the port.
Punset has long served as a Presidential adviser and now takes on a family responsibility in coming months, continuing his years of trusted support to the Consell president on matters related to the European Union.
Other resignations and reassignments
The dismissal of Aurelio Martínez, who headed the Valencia Port Authority, triggered additional transitions. Rafael Simón Sancho left his post at the Castellón port, while Enrique Vidal Perez took on a new role. In parallel, the Ministry of Innovation appointed a former minister, Vicente Soler, and Marco As to lead the Social Council of the Valencia University General Labor body.
Puig reviews Cs roles and appoints Punset for the Generalitat
Within the broader reforms across public administrations, several boards and governance bodies saw changes. In motor circuit and sports administration, Isabel Castelló García exited and Antonio assumed the role. The resignation of Jose Vicente Morata, President of the Chamber of Commerce, was accepted, with Alejandro Bermejo Fliquete joining the Valencia Fair board in his stead.
Among the items approved at Consell’s general meeting, the 2023 Public Employment Offer includes 823 positions, with 328 accessible through open competition. The OPE outlines recruitment for 24 bodies and scales within the Generalitat Administration. Notably, 45 vacancies focus on the 65th position within the High Council of European Funds Administration or the High Technical Board of the General Administration. An additional 22 vacancies will be added from the 2022 OPE in Computer Engineering.
The plan aims to address a retirement-driven staffing gap, aligning with central government targets to refresh the workforce. A 120 percent replacement cap is proposed, with priority given to social and health sectors and full replacement in other areas. The renewal rate allows temporary employment plus 521 new calls, with an extra 20 percent added this year to reduce the 176 Early Childhood Educator positions under the Transitional Civil Service Order. The law also reserves 10 percent of places for people with functional diversity.
Over 3,500 applicants sign up in Alicante for the Post Office opposition
TRAM works
As reported by this newspaper, the executive awarded two contracts for Alicante TRAM. The tender covers a new link connecting TRAM d’Alacant’s Luceros station with the existing ADIF station on Avenida de Salamanca in Alicante. The project budget is 132,399,389.19 euros with a 52-month implementation period and is supported by state aid.
The new Intermodal station will be underground with two levels, a lobby and platforms, and a roof-level surface to provide access. The design keeps the existing urban layout intact while ensuring the station remains beneath the ADIF car park. It features four tracks and two central platforms. The connection to Luceros includes a 70-meter tunnel that minimizes disruptions to traffic on Avenida Salamanca, the ADIF station building, and nearby green spaces.
Additionally, Consell approved Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana to begin civil works on new viaducts along the Algar and Mascarat rivers as part of TRAM d’Alacant Line 9, integrating Benidorm and Denia. The project is valued at 17,903,430.21 euros with a 14-month timeline. These works, alongside ongoing improvements in the Quisi valley near Benissa, complete a modernization effort for the line as highlighted by the Generalitat Valenciana.
The Generalitat to reward tramway improvements between Luceros and Renfe this year
Northern housing and sustainability initiatives continue to receive support. A new emphasis is placed on the 2030 Agenda through the Valencia City Agenda, a strategic document guiding urban, regional, and housing policies for the coming years. The agenda is linked to Botànic goals and is accessible via the Ministry of Regional Policy site.
The agenda distinguishes itself by engaging the 542 municipalities across the Community of Valencia, offering a catalog of solutions and indicators to help cities assess progress while aligning with urban sustainability goals and improvement plans according to local realities. It outlines six thematic blocks, 52 operational objectives, and 208 action lines to be advanced through specific plans aimed at concrete targets. In particular, the urban economy block addresses innovation, talent attraction, sustainable tourism, technology and disruptive sectors, cultural industries, the collaborative economy, and corporate responsibility.
Within the regional and urban context, the document frames the evolving relationships between different urban systems, the momentum and balance in mid-sized cities, ecological and regional connectivity, and the handling of climate-related risks. It also promotes sustainable urban and regional models and a digital transition across governance and regulation, with emphasis on open governance, networked government, new financial tools, citizen participation, and administrative transparency.
Urban quality and health focus on resilience, urban metabolism, food sovereignty, air and water quality, waste reduction, distributed energy, smart grids, and green and open spaces. The right to the city and housing addresses inclusive policy, neighborhood renewal, public spaces, safety, social justice, and gender equality. The connected city section highlights sustainable public transport, smart city concepts, mobility as a service, urban logistics, and transport decarbonisation.