Vegara Urged to Honour Orihuela Costa Pledge

Orihuela’s three opposition parties have joined forces to demand that Mayor Pepe Vegara guarantees regular council meetings on Orihuela Costa and extends the initiative to the municipality’s outlying districts.

The PSOE, Ciudadanos and Cambiemos Orihuela have criticised the local government for failing to announce a date for another council plenary session on the coast, despite the first ordinary meeting being held in Playa Flamenca on 27 November 2025.

With just over two months remaining in 2026, opposition spokespersons Carolina Gracia, José Aix and Leticia Pertegal say residents deserve certainty that the historic initiative will become a permanent feature rather than a one-off gesture.

Under Article 16 of the council’s procedural regulations, plenary sessions should be held at the municipal offices on Orihuela Costa at least once every six months.

The opposition argues that the administration has failed to demonstrate a commitment to maintaining this requirement, despite repeated calls for a clear timetable.

The parties also accuse Vegara’s government of abandoning earlier promises to bring council meetings and municipal services closer to residents in Orihuela’s outlying districts, known as pedanías.

They point out that decentralising council activity was previously supported by politicians now occupying positions in the local government.

“Last year we succeeded in getting the council to hold a plenary meeting in Playa Flamenca, but now we want to know whether there is a genuine commitment to continuing the initiative or whether it will remain an isolated event,” the opposition groups said.

They insist the issue goes beyond simply scheduling meetings, arguing that residents across the municipality should have easier access to elected representatives and opportunities to participate in local decision-making.

With Orihuela covering a vast geographical area, the parties believe holding meetings outside the city centre would improve accessibility and ensure that concerns affecting coastal communities and rural districts receive greater attention.

The three opposition leaders are now demanding that Vegara immediately announce the next plenary meeting on Orihuela Costa, establish a regular timetable and explain how he intends to extend the initiative to other parts of the municipality.

“Orihuela does not end at the city centre,” they declared. “Residents of the coast and outlying districts pay their taxes, need services and have the right to participate in decisions affecting their daily lives.” Gracia, Aix and Pertegal concluded with a direct challenge to the mayor: “Fewer promises and more action. We want dates, concrete commitments and a council that serves the entire municipality.”

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