DOLON COMMITTED TO INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

Torrevieja is one of Spain's fastest growing and multicultural cities. It is also a pioneer in many areas, especially when it comes to championing the underprivileged and those most in need of assistance.

The city has led the way in the Valencian Region and paved the way for others to follow. Last week, Eduardo Dolon Sanchez, the Partido Popular's candidate for mayor in Torrevieja, held a press conference where he stressed that the PP remains dedicated in their commitment in pioneering municipal aid to the community and moving forward to make the city an even better place to live.
It's never easy moving home, especially when that also means moving to a country, with a different language, culture and customs.

Thus one of the sectors that Mayor Pedro Hernandez Mateo earmarked as requiring assistance was undoubtedly the International Community and thus Torrevieja became the very first city in Spain to open a Foreign Residents Office, to help and advise International residents on all maters pertaining to living and life in Spain, under the guidance of their Director, Graham Knight.

The PP was also among the first to offer annual financial contributions for the elderly, needy and the disabled, young married couples buying their first homes receive a one time lump sum as well as supplying assistance and premises for such charitable organisations as Age Concern, Red Cross, Alzheimer's Association, Contra Cancer and Alimentos Solidarios.

Candidate for Mayor, Eduardo Dolon Sanchez, accompanied by the Director of the Electoral Campaign Joaquín Albaladejo alongside Lola Canales, gave thanks to retiring Mayor Pedro Hernandez Mateo and fellow party members for their backing and also to the Regional Executive Committee, chaired by Francisco Camps, for their vote of confidence as the official candidate for mayor of Torrevieja, in the upcoming municipal elections.

There are 35 speciality groups working with Dolon on all aspects of Torrevieja life, from social welfare through education, tourism, sports and law and order, in order to make Torrevieja and even better place to live in. Dolon said that “From an initial analysis of the proposals arising from the various working committees,” he concluded that the PP “would be emphasizing policies that will generate tourism, employment and improvement of services to citizens, which will be the cornerstones of the next electoral program.”

Dolon also pointed out that Torrevieja has been a victim of discrimination by Zapatero's central government. Back in September, PP Spokesman of the City of Torrevieja, Joaquín Albaladejo, filed a plenary motion in denouncing the "discrimination by the Government of Spain as they will not recognize the city of Torrevieja as a Tourist City!"

At that time Albaladejo explained that since last April, 2010, the PSOE in the Congress of Deputies, paralyzed an amendment to the Local Finance Act which, if carried into effect as passed by the Senate, "the city would receive significant revenue, that we are absolutely entitled to, as a Tourist Capital."

In essence, although Torrevieja is the Valencia Community's fifth largest city and has more pubs and restaurants that Benidorm, the government in Madrid do not classify Torrevieja as a Tourist Destination! By doing so, Zapatero has avoided an amendment of Article 125 of the Local Finance Law, which would give Torrevieja an additional two million euros per year!

Back in September Albaladejo also noted that central government showed a complete "lack of interest to discuss a proposal that would do justice to the social and economic reality of the city of Torrevieja." Dolon emphasized that even without the backing of the PSOE in Madrid, that the PP would continue to “move forward and continue to back and maintain social programs in Torrevieja including university and elite athlete scholarships, aid for retirees and pensioners, bono-taxi to help the disabled, help to pay water and sewer bills, housing programs, International and Immigrant assistance and financial help for the underprivileged and needy.”

Dolon pulled no punches, saying “At this time of grave economic crisis, brought upon us by the dysfunctional Rodríguez Zapatero, the PP in Torrevieja ensures residents of their commitment to make Torrevieja a better place to live.” He also pointed out that the “disastrous management of Rodriguez Zapatero and the PSOE, has generated over five million unemployed, created the worst of economic crisis in Spain's history and discriminated against Torrevieja at every opportunity.”

Other areas of PSOE discrimination against the city include the delayed opening of the Social Services Office, which although finished in 2009, it has taken a further 18-months for the PSOE to open! Against the wishes of Torrevieja's Town Hall, Zapatero forced the construction of Europe's largest Desalination plant on the City, rather than diverting water from the Ebro Valley. This project is also well behind schedule! Although Torrevieja ceded land for the development of the N332 section to become a dual carriageway, this project has also been delayed!

Most importantly, while PSOE Towns of only 60,000 or less residents have had National Police stations constructed in 2010, Torrevieja remains the only city in Spain with a population of over 100,000 residents without a National Police Station! At a cost of around three million euros, Torrevieja Town Hall acquired a plot of land to the specifications demanded by central government, put in the required infrastructure and then after much stalling and many excuses, the offer to construct a National Police Station was reneged upon, citing a lack of finance as the cause!

This is a concern to the PP because with the drop in numbers of Guardia Civil in the city, Policia Local are having to cover some policing tasks that the Guardia Civil would normally cover, especially controlling areas in their Police cars.

Should the Partido Popular win the General Election, then Dolon will bring up the issue of the National Police station once again, with the hope that within two years, over 200 police will be stationed in the city providing more security to residents and visitors alike.

Eduardo Dolon also took the opportunity to thank the hundreds of members and supporters for their voluntarily participation in the 35 working committees that he firmly believes will lead to the best manifesto for the next election.

He concluded by saying “This public demonstration of commitment to all citizens of Torrevieja, certifies that without any doubt, that the PP is the party of Torrevieja and for Torrevieja.”
Elections are expected to take place on May 22, 2011.

If you are in any doubt as to whether or not you have the right to vote in the local election, you can find out by sending an email to: sede.censoelectoral@ine.es, and by filling in the information as follows; you will receive a response within a few normal business hours. It can be sent in English but the reply will be in Spanish.

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