The Provincial Council to Distribute 6.1 Million Euros Among Alicante Municipalities 'Strangled' by Sánchez's Government

The Alicante Provincial Council will inject a total of 6.1 million euros among all its municipalities and smaller entities. This is the first phase of a cooperation fund that the provincial institution aims to launch before summer, following the necessary procedures. The next steps include presentation in committee this Wednesday and approval by the Plenary on June 4th.

This new line of aid partially replaces the 'Más Cerca' plan, which quintupled the funds of this new financing tool for local entities in the province. However, the 'limitations and vetoes' of Pedro Sánchez's Government on these types of entities prevent the Provincial Council from launching a new edition of the said plan, which distributed 32.5 million in its last edition.

The President of the Provincial Council, Toni Pérez, explained that the execution of this new cooperation fund is driven by the decisions of the Council of Ministers. 'We cannot spend a single euro cent from the surpluses of recent years,' in addition to having suffered a '50 million reduction in the State's contribution to this institution.'

This 'cutback, as other parties would say,' also affects all municipalities and councils, both in the province of Alicante and in Spain, denounced the provincial leader, accompanied by Vice Presidents Ana Serna and Marina Sáez. Therefore, the new 6.1 million fund from the Provincial Council aims to 'help attend to the municipalities of Alicante that Pedro Sánchez is strangling.'

The fiscal rules preventing municipalities from using surpluses are 'a blow,' compounded by the lack of State Budgets. 'It is the greatest aggression against local administrations in recent times,' as it prevents the use of their savings to attend to residents at a time when the province's population is increasing.

Thus, the new 6.1 million euro plan from the Alicante Provincial Council's budget 'will allow resources' for the province's municipalities and their current expenditure. In this regard, the distribution will be proportional and will include this first phase, which is expected to be completed with a second 'when the Government of Spain, by law, allows us,' Pérez clarified.

This is the roadmap of the Provincial Council for the coming weeks and months, when the bases of this new aid plan for municipalities for the 2025 fiscal year will be published. This money will help relieve municipalities that suffer 'strangulation and see their capacity to react limited' by not being able to use their surpluses, which in some cases 'amounts above the ordinary budget,' to address the population difference compared to previous years and the increase in the cost of living.

Finally, he once again criticized the state decision, emphasizing that Alicante is a province 'abandoned' by the Government of Spain, and directly pointed to the PSOE of the Provincial Council, which 'turns a blind eye.' Thus, he challenged the deputies of the main opposition group, stating that 'it is time for them to face up and stand by the residents, mayors, and mayoresses.'