Orihuela Council has approved its second budget within a year, amounting to nearly €117 million, backed by a majority vote. Yet, despite this financial manoeuvring, the ongoing neglect of Orihuela Costa remains undeniable.
Over the years, budget after budget has discriminated against the coast, despite it being the largest contributor to the council’s revenue — around 60%, equating to €60 million annually.
Not long ago, the Deputy Mayor and Councillor for the Coast, Manuel Mestre, declared he needed €50 million for Orihuela Costa. But why on earth would he make such a statement with no realistic chance of delivering? Was it a ploy to raise false hopes — a façade to suggest progress where none exists?
We must now judge Mestre and Mayor Pepe Vegara not by their words but by their actions.
Before the last election, Vegara acknowledged that poor management, especially on the coast, was Orihuela’s biggest problem. To address this, he created the Orihuela Costa City Council, with Mestre at the helm. Yet this initiative has yielded little tangible benefit.
Their leadership echoes Don Quixote and Sancho Panza — promises of grand reform, yet they have become entangled in bureaucratic windmills, while Orihuela Costa’s issues persist.
Meanwhile, Orihuela has become “a preserve of the elite,” as scandals and allegations of corruption continue to shake Orihuela’s town hall.
Multiple opposition parties have accused the current PP and VOX government of lies, fraud, and have even referred them to the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor — serious allegations that wouldn’t be made lightly or without compelling evidence.
There is a clear disconnect between those in power and the public, with officials acting as though they are above the people they serve.
It’s time Orihuela Costa stopped accepting crumbs.
Residents must unite on shared issues, demand equality, and refuse to be silenced. Over 28,000 are registered, and likely another 28,000 remain uncounted — it’s time for all to stand together and claim their rightful voice.
