PSOE Slams PP-Vox for “Fantasy Budgeting” and “Beachfront Blunder”
Orihuela Costa is bracing for a wave of controversy as plans to install parking meters along the coast come with a staggering price tag — more than €154,000 just to get the system up and running. The so-called “blue zone” rollout, meant to regulate coastal parking, has already sparked political outrage, and summer hasn’t even begun.
But here’s the kicker: the report detailing the hefty price wasn’t even commissioned until after the 2025 municipal budget had already passed — a budget that banked on €375,000 in revenue from the meters. That’s right: the local government counted the cash before installing a single meter.
“Pure Fiction!” cries PSOE.
Socialist councillor María García tore into the ruling PP-Vox coalition on Friday, accusing them of cooking the books. “They’ve filled the budget with make-believe money from a service that doesn’t exist yet,” she fumed. “It’s scandalous. Smoke and mirrors to make the numbers look good, while reality is left behind.”
Budget Blow-Up: Where’s the Money Coming From?
PSOE isn’t buying the maths. The budget claimed €575,000 in total revenue from the ORA scheme — a whopping 187% jump from the previous year. The spike was based on the plan to enforce paid parking on the coast from July to September, while suspending it in the city centre. But with no groundwork done, critics say those numbers are as solid as a sandcastle at high tide.
Broken Promises and Blue Zone Blues
And that’s not all. García blasted the coalition for failing to deliver any improvements to the existing blue zone system. “We submitted sensible, people-first proposals — discounts for seniors, young people, workers, and a break from parking fees on summer afternoons. All approved. All ignored. Again.”
Locals are growing restless. Last summer, PSOE already sounded the alarm when the City Council let the public parking contract with ILDO lapse without proper planning — then quietly renewed it at the last minute.
According to PSOE, internal reports even suggested expanding parking by 1,200 extra spots on the coast, tweaking city centre zones, and scrapping charges during sweltering summer evenings. None of it happened.
Déjà Vu on the Coast
“It’s the same old story,” said García. “Another summer, another list of broken promises. The PP-Vox coalition keeps voting ‘yes’ just to look good, but follows through on nothing.”
She emphasized that the parking expansion was not part of any PSOE motion, but “a unilateral decision” made by the conservative-led council.
Empty Meters, Empty Promises
So where’s the money? That’s what the PSOE wants to know. “How can they claim they’ll raise €375,000 from a system they haven’t even begun to set up?” García asked. “We demand they stop fantasising and start governing — work with coastal communities, honour council decisions, and stop ignoring what residents actually need.”
With the beach season heating up, Orihuela Costa is still waiting — for meters, for transparency, and for a government that delivers more than headlines.
