The town of Benissa hosted yesterday the III Forum of Coastal Municipalities of the Valencian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FVMP). The meeting brought together municipal representatives, institutional leaders, and experts to analyze the main challenges facing the Valencian coast and strengthen coordination between administrations in its defense. Among the attendees were the first deputy mayor of El Campello City Council, Lourdes Llopis, and the Councilor for Beaches and Tourist Infrastructures, Rafa Galvañ.

The day concluded with the approval of an institutional declaration agreed upon by all political groups represented at the Forum. The text reaffirms the environmental, economic, and social value of the Valencian coast, calls for greater legal security for municipalities, and defends the need for city councils to actively participate in all decisions affecting coastal management.

The declaration highlights that coastal municipalities share common problems regardless of the political affiliation of their governments, and reaffirms the commitment to work together to protect the coastline, promote tourism de-seasonality, improve infrastructure, and address the effects of climate change.

The event was inaugurated by the mayor of Benissa, Arturo Poquet; the Director General of Coasts, Ports, and Airports, Marc García Manzana; and the Secretary General of the FVMP, Miguel Bailach.

Data collected by participating municipalities indicate that 63% of the consulted city councils have pending actions by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) or unrepaired damage from storms, a situation that has exacerbated the effects of recent weather events.

In light of this situation, the Forum called for the urgent intervention of the provincial Coastal services dependent on MITECO, as well as the implementation of a broad and exhaustive study of the damages detected along the entire Valencian coastline to prioritize actions and advance in the recovery of affected areas.

Furthermore, the Director General of Coasts advocated for greater decision-making capacity for the Valencian Community in coastal management. In this regard, he confirmed that the Generalitat is in ongoing negotiations with the Spanish Government regarding various aspects of regulations and the expansion of regional competencies in coastal matters.

The objective is to provide the Community with its own tools to manage the coastline more effectively, protect traditional centers of ethnological value, and adapt coastal policies to the specific reality of Valencian municipalities.