Eduardo Zaplana to Retain Street Named After Him in Benidorm

Eduardo Zaplana served as mayor of Benidorm for only three years (from 1991 to 1994). It has been over three decades since he transitioned to regional politics, and nearly 23 years since José María Aznar, then Prime Minister, appointed him as a minister. However, Zaplana's influence in the tourist capital of the Costa Blanca and its political landscape remains significant, continuing to spark heated debates and confrontations even after all this time.

The latest instance of this occurred during the regular November plenary session held this Friday morning at the Benidorm town hall. In fact, it was the second part of a debate that was supposed to take place a month ago but was postponed out of respect for the recent victims of the Valencia DANA.

The calendar coincidentally marked this plenary session on the first month anniversary of that tragedy, which did not prevent the municipal decision-making body from addressing the motion presented by the local PSOE. The motion called for the removal of all recognitions and honours from the former Cartagena politician following the Valencia Provincial Court's ruling that sentenced Zaplana to over ten years in prison, 17 years of disqualification from public office, and fines amounting to 25 million euros in the well-known Erial case.

As expected, the plenary debate on this issue was contentious and filled with harsh words. Also as anticipated, the motion by the Benidorm socialists did not pass, thanks to the opposing votes from the Popular Party (which governs with an absolute majority) and the sole Vox councillor, who joined forces with the 'populars'.

From the socialist bench, it was their spokesperson, Cristina Escoda, who advocated for the request not only to remove Zaplana's name from the avenue in the city but also to revoke the Corporate Medal awarded to him in 2012 and to remove plaques bearing his name from public spaces or buildings.

On the other hand, the PP spokesperson, Lourdes Caselles, justified her party's opposing vote by arguing that the Valencia Provincial Court's ruling is not final and that this, moreover, resulted in the socialist motion receiving an unfavourable report.

In purely political terms, or at least in matters affecting the city's daily life, the main point of debate in today's plenary session was the agreement to withdraw the status of urban development agent from Terra Village Land for sector PP3/1, the future industrial estate of Benidorm.

This decision was made after the initial contract price was exceeded by a percentage greater than the legal limit, a point that was again approved by the PP and Vox, with the socialists abstaining in this case.

Lourdes Caselles, also the Urban Planning Councillor, recalled that this file was initiated in 2001 when the City Council awarded the status of urban development agent for this sector and that in 2002 the program was definitively approved, and its urbanization was awarded, with works valued at 26,488,703.23 euros.

She also indicated that this partial plan was planned in the 1990 General Plan and that its works were "halted due to the demands and impositions of the Ministry of Development shortly after they began, forcing us to execute a roundabout and a road for the municipality of Benidorm, which should have been done by the Ministry" as the competent authority.

Following this halt and the request for a loan by the City Council to execute these infrastructures, "a modification project had to be submitted with the works already executed and a project to complete the sector" with a reassessment that, according to technical reports, "clearly shows a cost increase exceeding 50%" over the initial costs.

The councillor blamed this setback on "the demands from the Ministry" and also cited "the delays by the Botànic in approving the modification of the Partial Plan," hindering the development of this commercial sector "without assuming any percentage of a work that should entirely fall under the Ministry of Development's responsibility."

From now on, according to Lourdes Caselles, a 10-day hearing period will be given to Terra Village. If the company opposes the contract termination during the appeal period, the file must be referred to the Consell Jurídic Consultiu. If there is no opposition, the matter will be resolved directly at the municipal level without the need for an external opinion.

Furthermore, once the contract is resolved, the verification, measurement, and settlement of the works carried out and the program must be conducted.