The regional government, led by Carlos Mazón, is making confrontation with the central executive branch one of its main political strategies. This stance already shows up in issues where he has not hesitated to clash, from water policy to finance, and until recently, the expansion of the Port of Valencia. A new item is being added to the agenda: a coastal law that the Consell is developing. Salomé Pradas, the Minister of Environment, Water, Infrastructure and Region, emphasizes that the regulation aims to empower the Generalitat to decide and authorize matters such as administrative privileges, accommodation activities, or sports uses, even if that means the central government might file a lawsuit before the Constitutional Court to defend state prerogatives. When needed, the regional leadership signals readiness to proceed.
The coastal law stood as one of Mazón’s campaign promises during regional elections, and work is underway on the draft. The department headed by Salomé Pradas explains that the law seeks to regulate coastal uses at the regional level for the first time, acknowledging that different zones have distinct characteristics and require different interventions. The overarching goal is to simplify authorization processes for both uses and activities, with Consell seeking final oversight over matters such as administrative privileges, housing activities, sports, and even seasonal beach plans. This approach is presented as a way to align coastal regulation with regional priorities while preserving local autonomy.
In terms of regional planning, the upcoming legislation will require a review of the Regional Action Plan for Coastal Green Infrastructure (Pativel). The reform aims to adapt the plan to the new Valencian coastal law, strengthening its legal clarity and enforceability.
On the topic of borders, the regulations will define coastal urban centers and historic towns as cultural heritage of the Valencian Community. The intention is to ensure special, unique protection for their traditional, historical, and landscapes features so as not to be compromised.
That covers the main points. What is the core issue? There is strong expectation that the central government will challenge this law before the Constitutional Court, as it has done in Galicia, arguing that the proposals encroach on state powers and limit action against illegal coastal construction. In response, Salomé Pradas underscores that the Consell intends to respect state jurisdiction while complementing, not replacing, the Coastal Law with regional measures. The Valencian coast would be better aligned with the needs of the community, she says, and adds that decisions about what can or cannot be done on the coast fall within the regional planning framework and autonomous authority, with full regard for the sea-land public sphere that is shared with the state.
The Consell’s objective is to exercise to the full extent of all powers granted by their Charter, including regional planning that covers the coastline. With the new rule, the Generalitat would decide which uses on the community’s territory are permitted or prohibited, shaping coastal activity in line with regional strategy.
In another thread of policy, Mazón announced that the second phase of the Júcar-Vinalopó transfer would be awarded in the first quarter of 2024, signaling ongoing investment in regional infrastructure. The head of this autonomous department also critiques the central government’s management of the Valencian coast, pointing to only two of sixty-one planned plans to address decline being launched. The appeal is straightforward: permit the region to stop receiving penalties and work jointly to enable the exercise of corresponding regional powers, Pradas emphasizes.
There is an acknowledgment of a real possibility that the matter could reach the Constitutional Court, just as occurred in Galicia. Yet Pradas makes clear that such a development would not deter the regional leadership; the court has not yet ruled on Galicia, and she believes there is a favorable position on this issue.
open facades
This contest, as noted earlier, would simply add another front to the regional government’s ongoing clashes with the central administration. One focal point directly affecting Alicante is the interruptions to the Tajo-Segura transfer. The Mazón administration has filed multiple appeals before the National Court. Pradas describes these interruptions as ideological and not grounded in technical evidence. She pledges continued legal action to defend farmers while promoting other initiatives such as the reuse of purified water.
Finances figure prominently among the major challenges. Mazón keeps underscoring this priority, a point echoed by Minister of Finance Ruth Merino during discussions with Minister María Jesús Montero at a recent Fiscal Policy Council and Fiscal Meeting in Madrid. The dialogue signals ongoing attention to fiscal health and regional autonomy in economic decision-making.
Finally, the expansion of the Port of Valencia remains a red-lined issue on the agenda. It featured at a Madrid-Valencian Community business summit on 12 December and began to take shape after a visit by Transport Minister Óscar Puente to the port complex, an event that affected its execution. The expansion continues to receive approval from the Council of Ministers, reflecting its status as a priority project for regional development.