Ineca Celebrates 18 Years Amidst Government Criticism for Alicante's Marginalisation

The Institute of Economic Studies of the Province of Alicante (Ineca) has reached its coming of age in 2025. This milestone was marked by its General Assembly held at the Marq, attended by the President of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, and the President of the Alicante Provincial Council, Toni Pérez, along with other business leaders affiliated with the institute.

The first report produced by the institute in 2008, which successfully advanced the high-speed rail line between Alicante and Madrid, now seems a distant memory. This line would later become one of Spain's most profitable. Ineca President Ignacio Amirola highlighted this during his speech, where he reviewed the institute's history, main achievements, and future challenges.

"Despite all the effort, much work remains," acknowledged Amirola, who focused part of his speech on criticising the State's General Budgets (PGE), reiterating "that they should be based on population criteria." The Ineca leader asserts that "all these allocated resources will not suffice unless we seriously address the loss due to the State's investment neglect."

According to Amirola, "without investment, it is materially impossible to regain competitiveness and per capita income, which is what generates well-being." The Ineca President insists that "the first step is to have budgets, something that should be mandatory by law, as it is inconceivable for a company to operate without its accounts, yet a Government can."

In this regard, Amirola congratulated the present President of the Generalitat for passing the budgets and gave a slight reprimand, urging the execution of investments. Regarding the Government, "we cannot say the same; the last PGE were in 2023," and he claims that "it is a real shame to see how we are left out of ministry programmes and political interests override technical ones."

During his speech, the Ineca President highlighted that in last year's studies, "we have seen that it is necessary to undertake various actions that are hindering the province's competitiveness," and he again calls for "the railway connection with the airport." In this regard, Amirola laments that investments go to El Prat airport while Alicante and Valencia are forgotten.

He also demands the improvement of the Cercanías network linking with Murcia, which "continues to operate with diesel trains, without electrification and with reduced frequencies." Similarly, Amirola protests against the cut in the Tajo-Segura transfer, which reduces "50% of the water allocated to our farmers' irrigation." The institute's president protests against continuous cuts and reflects: "How good it would be if all senators and deputies worked together, but once again we find that Madrid's poor politics are holding us back."

In the final moments of his speech, Amirola assured that Alicante "is much more than services, it is industry, and we must make a greater effort to attract investments." The Ineca President stresses the need for "swift action to reactivate the sector, with tax incentives, European aid, and regeneration of industrial areas." For the institute's leader, the real key lies in "ensuring that Alicante truly improves and gains competitiveness, and its citizens gain per capita income."