Orihuela opposition announces bid for extraordinary council meeting after motions dispute

PSOE, Ciudadanos and Cambiemos Orihuela have announced that they will seek an extraordinary council meeting to address withdrawn motions and other outstanding municipal issues following the political confrontation at the ordinary meeting on Thursday, 29 October.

The PP says mayor Pepe Vegara tried to agree a postponement of political debate as a mark of respect for the victims of the railway accident in Toledo province; the opposition accuses the municipal government of avoiding outstanding issues.

Two accounts of the meeting

PP spokesperson Víctor Valverde says Vegara proposed to the groups on Wednesday afternoon that questions from residents and the administrative business on the agenda should proceed, but discussion of motions should be postponed.

According to Valverde, the mayor sought an agreement again before Thursday’s meeting began, without securing consensus among all the parties.

The meeting included an institutional declaration in memory of the victims, the public participation session and items of formal council business, including three files for the extrajudicial recognition of payment obligations and one concerning urban planning.

When the meeting reached the motions, Vox withdrew its two proposals and announced that it would limit its contributions to stating its voting position.

The PP declined to take part in political debate on the motions but continued to vote; Valverde denies that this decision prevented the other groups from presenting their proposals.

PSOE, Ciudadanos and Cambiemos demand another debate

Ciudadanos criticised the conduct of the mayor and deputy mayor and announced the initiative to seek an extraordinary meeting.

The PSOE denies reaching an agreement with Vegara and says there were alternatives that would have allowed administrative business to continue and motions to be moved to another meeting.

Cambiemos accuses the PP and Vox government of using the tragedy to avoid debates on education, transparency, financial management and the needs of different parts of the municipality.

All three groups argue that respect for the victims was compatible with agreeing a later meeting, and want the proposals brought back for discussion as soon as possible.

The PP, meanwhile, says opposition motions remained on the agenda and were withdrawn by their sponsors; it also maintains that they can be brought forward again through the legal mechanisms for requesting another council meeting.