In recent days, we have witnessed a deliberate attempt to create unnecessary alarm among the residents of Orihuela through inflated figures and a misleading interpretation of municipal projects. Speaking of a supposed €300 million plan is not only inaccurate, but deeply irresponsible.
The reality is far clearer and fully transparent: Orihuela City Council has a well-defined and properly structured investment plan, based on a loan of €40,933,211, approved under strict criteria of financial responsibility, feasibility, and sustainability. Any figure that departs from this framework reflects a political strategy of confusion rather than factual accuracy.
Of this total investment, €13,730,000 is allocated directly to Orihuela Costa, representing approximately 32.5% of the total. In other words, nearly one-third of all municipal investment, which must be distributed across the city centre and all surrounding districts. Therefore, contrary to the narrative some are trying to impose, Orihuela Costa is receiving a very significant and proportionate level of investment.
And we are not talking about vague promises, but concrete and necessary projects:
- New potable water reservoir
- Footbridge over the AP-7 motorway
- Auditorium project
- Road resurfacing plan
- Urban tree planting plan
In addition, there is the ongoing effort in maintenance, which is often deliberately overlooked. The contracted gardening company and road maintenance services employ around 100 workers operating in Orihuela Costa, carrying out essential tasks that, while not classified as capital investment, directly and continuously improve residents’ quality of life.
In contrast, what some are presenting as a “hidden mega-project” is nothing more than an artificial aggregation of unrelated figures, with no real budgetary backing or approved municipal planning. It is a way of doing politics based on noise rather than management.
Orihuela needs rigour, not alarmist headlines. It needs serious planning, not misleading narratives. And above all, it needs institutional responsibility.
Because managing a municipality is not about throwing figures into the air: it is about investing with balance, serving all areas fairly, and securing the future without mortgaging it.
And that is precisely what this government team is committed to doing.
Manuel Mestre (Orihuela Costa Councillor of Orihuela City Hall)
