Business outrage over investor mistreatment towards Alicante

Absolute unanimity. If the General Budgets designed by the Government for the province of Alicante have had any virtue, it has been their ability to agree with all business sectors when expressing their most energetic rejection of what they consider to be a clear exercise of abuse. And it is that indignation is the word that perfectly defines the feeling that has been installed, not understanding how it is possible that, once again, the remarkable economic and population weight of this territory is being ignored. One of the main reproaches is that long-claimed strategic infrastructures such as the rail connection with the airport continue not to be seriously addressed.

“They are bad for the Community and worse for Alicante.” In this illustrative way, the president of the CEV employer in the province, Perfecto Palacio, expressed himself this Thursday, who drew attention to the fact that the autonomous territory should receive 10% of the total Budgets, when in reality it is in 9.3%. But it goes further when it refers to the province, describing as “injustice” the low level of investment that has been suffering for more than 20 years.

From the Alicante Chamber of Commerce, its president, Juan Riera, has an impact on the same aspects, but putting the focus on the fact that the discrimination suffered by this territory has worsened this year, just when more funds were needed to face the problem with greater solvency. post-pandemic recovery, after the covid.

The Institute of Economic Studies of the Province of Alicante (Ineca) shares this vision, as highlighted by its president, Rafael Ballester, who regrets that this area suffers from this under-financing when state public investment is more necessary than ever to promote reactivation .

Tourism is one of the sectors that has suffered the most virulence from this health crisis due to restrictions, and that is why the Hotel and Tourism Business Association of Benidorm and the Costa Blanca (Hosbec) do not understand that «we are left adrift ». The president of the organization, Toni Mayor, recognizes that investments such as those of the Mediterranean Corridor in Valencia and Castellón will end up benefiting the province, but draws attention to the fact that basic infrastructure for tourism, such as the railway connection with the airport and the train from the coast, stay in limbo. Jesualdo Ros, general secretary of the Provincial Association of Housing Promoters of Alicante (Provia), also has an impact on the same aspect, who regrets that the lack of investment has become chronic.

This vision is fully shared by another of the most affected sectors, such as commerce. The president of the provincial federation (Facpyme), Carlos Baño, refers to these infrastructures and says he does not understand how it is possible that it takes almost less time to get from Madrid to Alicante by AVE than from the station of the capital of the province to centers first-rate tourist attractions such as Benidorm or Torrevieja.

Also the president of the Alicante Family Business Association (Aefa), Maite Antón, agrees that the province is still in need of historically claimed infrastructure. But, above all, Javier Verdú, head of the Alicante Public Works Federation (Fopa), who considers it alarming that this territory is receiving in investments only a quarter of what would correspond to it.

And what about the industry? Well, the unanimity is also total when it comes to evaluating the Budgets in a very negative way, both with regard to the aforementioned need for infrastructures and also to the greater tax burden that is intended to be imposed on companies. The president of the Valencian Association of Footwear Entrepreneurs, Marián Cano, recalls that the province concentrates three of the main shoemaker centers in Spain and that they need investment in infrastructure and services.

For his part, the general secretary of the Federation of Metal Companies of the Province of Alicante (Fempa), Luis Rodríguez, regrets that this territory is not recognized for its ability to make investments profitable, while José Antonio Pastor, president of the Spanish Association of Toy Manufacturers (Aefj), criticizes that Alicante has been punished again. Finally, the president of the Association of Textile Entrepreneurs of the Community (Ateval), Pepe Serna, regrets the situation of infrastructures such as the Alcoy-Xàtiva train or the access to the AVE station in Villena.