November 5th 2008
The Mayor of Xàbia, Eduardo Monfort, is surprised by the budgets of the Generalitat, which seem only concerned with projects of particular rather than general interests.
The Valencia Councillor for Infrastructure, Garcia Anton, had promised that they would not do anything in Xàbia Port without the consent of the people (as agreed by the Valencia Government, the three administrations must first agree), and yet the Government had included in their budgets for 2009 a multi-year project of 22.5 million euros for "extending Xàbia port."
Not only had they ignored the wishes of the people of Xàbia, said the mayor, but there is nothing in the budgets for projects which are of interest to the general population, such as the heated pool (so long promised, even in writing), the auditorium, (which is part of the cultural package which includes the Conservatory, funded by the Town Hall), the sixth school in Xàbia, the social centre in the Port and river bed works in the Frechinal barranco.
For his part, spokesman of-Centrist Bloc, Vicente Chorro, wondered if the parties that abstained in the vote to reject port expansion, still believe that the Government intends to invest in the infrastructure the town needs in exchange for expanding the port, and invited them to express their opinion now.
Monfort hoped that the Government reconsiders, and that instead of channelling the money into projects of particular interest, it diverts it to projects of general interest, which for years the town has had to finance itself through loans because of the lack of investment by the Regional Government.
To Brussels, to defend the port
The Town Hall is now waiting to go on a trip to Brussels to defends its position about Xàbia Port expansion before the European Parliament.
The MEP for the Greens, David Hammerstein, in his recent visit to learn more about the problem, explained that for the petition to thrive, it was necessary to provide an official document confirming the intentions of the Government to expand the port.
Thanks to the budgets, that document now exists.
As regards the Canal de la Fontana, control of which had recently been ceded by the Costas to the Generalitat, the mayor was more relaxed. He explained that for any improvement it was essential to consider the adjoining municipal land, so that the Town Hall will always have a say in the management of the area, which surely will be done through a mixed formula.
From [* http://www.xabiaaldia.com/nukexd/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1444 Unos presupuestos…..]
