The initiative, approved last Tuesday by the municipal plenary session, will be financed from the treasury surplus and aims to support local economic activities in the face of rising electricity, gas, and fuel costs. According to the proposal, this situation particularly affects activities with high energy consumption, jeopardizing the competitiveness of the local business fabric, especially in a municipality with significant tourism and service sector activity.

Eligible for these subsidies are SMEs, micro-enterprises, self-employed individuals, and professionals affiliated with mutual insurance societies who have their fiscal and social headquarters in Calp, are up-to-date with their tax and Social Security obligations, and have no outstanding debts or sanctions with the council. The call for applications will cover up to 50% of current expenses related to energy consumption, with a maximum amount of 4,000 euros per beneficiary. The regulatory bases will be published soon in the Official Provincial Gazette, after which the application period will open.

During the plenary debate, the spokesperson for Defendamos Calpe, Paco Quiles, supported the measure but regretted that it had not been extended to families, as he believes individuals are also suffering the consequences of the energy crisis. For his part, the spokesperson for the Popular Party, Miguel Crespo, questioned the distribution criteria, arguing that the aid does not sufficiently distinguish between companies with different levels of energy dependency.

The spokesperson for the municipal government, Ximo Perles, defended the design of the call for applications, recalling that extending the aid to all citizens would require an increase in the economic allocation. He explained that, with the current budget, the amounts would be insignificant if spread to more beneficiaries, hence the decision to concentrate resources on the local business sector.