The political climate between the Gandia City Council and the Valencian Generalitat has once again become tense. The local government of Gandia has openly expressed its discontent over the stalled expansion project of the Grau Health Center, directly accusing the Popular Party and its municipal spokesperson, Víctor Soler, of generating an “unnecessary controversy” around an infrastructure that had been technically managed between both administrations for months.
In a joint press conference, the Councilor for Health, Liduvina Gil, and the General Coordinator of Urban Planning, Maite Alonso, defended the council's management. They recalled that the need to expand this health facility has become critical recently, exacerbated by the closure of several services in the city, such as the medical offices in Beniopa and Benipexicar, the suspension of 24-hour emergency services in Corea, and the reduction of afternoon services at the Raval clinic.
“"When the Popular Party came into power in the Generalitat, all the infrastructures planned for Gandia have been stopped"
Councilor Liduvina Gil was very firm regarding the opposition's attitude, stating that the PP “is not looking for solutions for Gandia, but rather to generate political conflict”. Gil recalled that the health map designed by the Botànic government included milestones such as the Roís de Corella Health Center, a new center in Raval, the expansion of the regional hospital, and that of Grau itself. She lamented that projects like the youth center—which she claims has been privatized—and a residence for people with functional diversity have been completely shelved.
For her part, the head of Urban Planning, Maite Alonso, clarified that there was no initial conflict regarding the land, as it was the Gandia Health Area itself that formally requested the City Council to initiate the segregation procedures and reports for the ground-floor expansion. The local executive's surprise came when the Generalitat sent a recent report questioning the plot's viability, alleging flood risk according to Patricova.
“"Having geomorphological hazard is practically not having it. They have found the perfect excuse not to launch the regional infrastructures we need in Gandia. Practically the entire urban municipal area is affected by some type of flooding, such as, for example, the Palace of Justice"
Faced with this scenario of paralysis, and criticizing that the regional budgets do not even include economic allocations for this purpose, the Gandia council has put forward two proposals to the Conselleria: the immediate reopening of all clinics and services closed by the PP, and the vertical expansion of the current Grau Health Center if the ground floor is considered flood-prone.
The municipal government concluded its intervention by demanding that the Generalitat abandon confrontation, urgently resume institutional dialogue, and prioritize the health of the residents of Grau.
