Last week’s plenary session in Orihuela, enjoyed a great deal of fierce debate, including that around LGTBI rights, following a motion by the PSOE requesting that the new PP and Vox government coalition return the acronym to the Department of Equality and approve the first LGTBI Plan, which was drafted by the previous council, and thereby create an office to combat LGTBI phobia. The motion was rejected, however, with votes against by both the PP and Vox.
The Councilor for Equality (PP), María Agustina Rodríguez, argued that her objective is to review and improve the present structure, as she invited the opposition to stop “preventive attacks” and “spreading fear in the community”. She accused the PSOE of “explicit and forceful support for LGTBI rights.”
The Leader of Vox, Manuel Mestre, was even more critical, accusing the left of having “interests based on confrontation and division”, to which he added that “we all have homosexual friends”.
Leticia Pertegal, from Cambiemos, said that “there is much more to do” and that the argument is “an absolute nonsense”, which is doing little more than creating “pacts of hate.”
Councillor Mestre countered with the argument that “It is dishonest to give aid and enrich oneself at the expense of public money,” as he also advocated “not financing a party that does not represent the majority of the population.”
Regarding the controversy that arose on Pride Day, when the rainbow flag was not displayed on the balcony of the Town Hall, Mestre has said that “the Spanish flag and the Glorious Enseña del Oriol are the emblems that represent everyone, and not the flag of Pride”.
“Mestre’s intervention has put me in a bad mood and made my hair stand on end,” said Mar Ezcurra, from Ciudadanos, who added that “not putting up the flag was intentional, and the government will pay a very expensive price.”
Discussion in the Plenary then moved on to the controversial issue of the withdrawal of the Cross of Merit from Ricardo Pérez Zambrana, Mayor Vegara’s partner, who is accused alongside the council leader in the ITV case (see page 9).
Despite support for the award coming from the commissioner of the Orihuela Local Police, Councillor Navarro (PSOE) stressed that the only objective of her formation has been to “not tarnish the municipality of Orihuela.” She has announced that her party will present a proposal to establish limitations on this type of recognition in the future.
Ciudadanos Councillor, José Aix, said that the nomination “perverts and overshadows” the recognition, adding that “this is not a troupe or a row of Moors and Christians.”
The plenary session then approved with the votes in favour of PP, Vox and Ciudadanos, and the abstention of PSOE and Cambiemos, the credits worth 2.3 million euros to cover government expenses. However, councillor Luisa Boné, from C’s, stated that most of these debts were left by the PP when it last governed.
Despite the abstention of Cambiemos, the green light was given to the file to reopen the promenade between Cabo Roig and Aguamarina, which entails an expropriation of land worth 69,000 euros and an execution project of 38,000 euros that would be ready in two months. “It is a guaranteed and transparent solution to open a negotiation walkway with the owners,” insisted Matías Ruiz (PP), Councilor for Urban Planning and Heritage.
Finally, Enrique Montero took up office as a councillor of Cambiemos following the resignation of Carlos Bernabé.
