Vicent Grimalt He has been the mayor of Dénia since last Saturday. It is the third consecutive legislature in which he manages to lead the local government. In fact, every time he has run for mayor he has won the election. He also announces that it will be his last. But this time nothing will be the same. To begin with, he will once again rule alongside another formation, Compromís, to which he has also given the last year of mayoralty, something unusual in the city. But also, more importantly, he will have to govern against the wind, without the sympathy of the new Generalitat and important neighbors such as Xàbia, where their ideological rivals now rule.
ASK. You return to occupy your office of the last eight years. What feeling do you have after 28M?
ANSWER. The same, because it is splicing one day with another. But, obviously, repeating for the third time as mayor for me was something incredible a few years ago. I never would have thought that I would have been able to become mayor. Let alone three times.
It is a satisfaction and a pride that people trust you and to be able to continue working here.
P. You have needed this time to come back to an agreement with Compromís. Will this change something in the way of governing? That is, do you think the citizens will notice?
R. No, the public does not have to notice anything, because in the end the government teams are always modified, one councilor always changes for another. It was not noticed from the 2015-2019 legislature to the next nor does it have to be noticed now.
Q. Since the electoral result was known, on the night of May 28, you reached out to Compromís, but for several days from the outside it did not seem so clear that this agreement would be reached. Did you ever doubt whether it would be possible to make a progressive pact?
R. No. Here we are condemned to understand each other historically Compromís and us. And for me that for many years to continue like this, because we are the two progressive forces of Dénia with the possibility of having representation in the city council. Unless exceptionally, as in 2019, an absolute majority is obtained, we are doomed to understand each other and we always have.
It was clear to me that they were obviously going to ask, but that it was very difficult for them to agree with the Party.
Q. How were the negotiations? Was it easy to reach the agreements that we know of?
R. I think they have not been very complicated. It's not like I've negotiated many times either. But with will and with the objectives that we have, both for each other, it is easy to reach agreements.
Q. Have you had to give up any part of your program or yours?
R. No, nor theirs either. There are things that we will study and review along the way, but the programs in the end are very similar.
Q. There were issues on which you did not agree, such as parking at height or the tourist tax.
R. The tourist tax is something that was imposed from Les Corts but that was voluntary. I had always said that in Dénia I did not see the possibility of applying it, because the Dénia tourism model is not like that of Benidorm or Calp, with mostly hotel beds, and there it is much easier to apply the tax. In Dénia it is more complicated because 50% are second homes or tourist homes, which is more difficult.
But it doesn't matter, even if it continued on the table, we would surely reach an agreement.
Q. This time you will be mayor for three years and you have given up the last year to achieve that agreement with the partners. Do you consider it the most difficult decision?
R. It is a complicated decision because it is the first time that an alternation in the Mayor's Office has been proposed. But in the end it is pure mathematics: if we have to alternate Mayorship, then twelve councilors divided by four years, that average is the one that comes out. They have stayed a quarter and we three years. But in the end, if the team works and the projects are clear, it won't be complicated.
Q. Going back to the night of 28M, the results made a big change. To begin with, you stayed just short of ten councillors. But you didn't get it. How do you value the results?
R. The results are what they are, and the citizens vote what they find they have to vote for. How do I assess the results? We have achieved the second best result that we have obtained in the history of the elections in Dénia. Therefore, we value it very positively. I say again that 2019 was something very exceptional.
Afterwards, obviously I am surprised on the one hand that Vox becomes part of the corporation. And then the rise of the PP, that you have to see everywhere what has happened. There is a wave of people who vote for the PP that maybe after seeing what is being seen in the autonomous pacts and in other cities, well they would have to make them see it. But the result is what it is. You have to accept it, period.
Q. You were also very affected by close results such as those of Xàbia. What can this change of government mean in the neighboring town?
R. For me it is an unpleasant surprise. But it is no longer that [José] Chulvi or the PSPV, but what is going to happen with the town of Xàbia, because looking at the first statements and the first divisions of departments... It is the same as always. "I am the candidate of the PP and I give a blank check to the other partners so that they can do whatever they want, as long as I maintain the mayoralty and throw out the PSPV." I do not see that this policy for a town or a city is the best.
Q. And, of course, the change in the Generalitat.
R. If what happened in Xàbia surprised me, what happened in the Generalitat surprised me even more. I have said it from the beginning, I don't know what an autonomous government has to do for people to trust them. After 20 years that they had been seeing everything we have seen with the PP governments, which even today are sitting, or will continue to sit, on the benches. Former presidents of the PP! To see how public money was wasted on great events, on great splendors and on great things. With a government like the Botànic that, beyond restoring dignity to the Valencian people, has made social, educational, and environmental policies, and everything that has been done in these two legislatures. And that the citizens of the Valencian Community continue to prefer a right-wing government...
And also, as we are already seeing, with a blank check that Mr. [Carlos] Mazón has given Vox to keep him on the throne. He doesn't care exactly the same about giving him Justice and letting him kill whatever he wants, than giving him Social Welfare or giving him Culture. He cares exactly the same. Here the problem is not that Vox's ideology is what it is, the problem is that the Popular Party is assuming the wishes of Vox and does not care about the policies they propose. I have not heard any discrepancy between Vox and the Popular Party.
Therefore, it is hard for me to understand that the Generalitat of the Botanical Government should be lost after everything that has been done in the last eight years.
Q. Is it going to be more difficult to govern Dénia with the new Generalitat?
R. The relationship we had both personally and through political formation will have nothing to do with the new one. Time will tell. I hope that the Popular Party respects everything that is signed, everything that is committed to the city of Dénia, because after all there are citizens of Dénia who have also voted for the Popular Party to govern the Generalitat. Here are seven councilors from the Popular Party. Mrs. [Pepa] Font filled her mouth during the campaign with everything that Mr. Mazón was going to bring here. Well, let's hope that those things are fulfilled, but above all that what is signed is respected.
Q. Do you think our projects such as the Festival of the Humanities?
R. Among all that we have, the Festival de les Humanitats is what worries me the least, because, beyond being the spiritual promoter, especially President [Ximo] Puig, the contribution of the Generalitat was what it was. And we can replace this by looking for other sponsors.
There are other projects that concern me more than the Festival de les Humanitats.
Q. Which ones?
R. The second residence, the conservatory, all the Plan Edificant that is pending, the new Raquel Payá... Above all, everything that is signed in Education, everything that is signed in Social Welfare, these things worry me because they are very necessary . And, obviously, the reversal of the Hospital. We will have to ask all the people who complain so much about the Hospital who they voted for. Let's see if they didn't know that this was at stake.
I very much doubt that the reversal of the Hospital will continue as planned.
Q. It is true that there has been a lot of speculation and there are all kinds of rumors. And you have said on occasion that you expect the reversal to take effect even if the government has changed. But what do you really think is going to happen? Will the reversal continue?
R. The reversal? It is not going to continue. I am convinced that before January 31, 2024, the new Consell will have offered an extension of I don't know how many years to Ribera Salut. I hope he fools me. Hopefully. And if I am wrong, I will apologize for having doubted, but from time to time.
Q. Going back to the issue of the promotion that the Generalitat de Dénia did, of its festivals, could it be the case that all the support that the city has had in the last eight years now goes to Xàbia, for example, to the be a government of the same color? That is to say, could we see a Xàbia Festival of Humanities in the near future?
R. We will continue to bring the Humanitats Festival to Dénia. This was an idea from President Puig so that we could set it up here. I don't know if Mr. Mazón has ideas like Mr. Puig's when it comes to organizing festivals as important as this one. If they want to ride them in Xàbia, let them ride what they want. We will continue with public money from the City Council and sponsors betting on this type of festival.
Q. The ultra-right enters the government of the Generalitat, something that you criticized in your first speech of the new legislature, the one about the inauguration. What can it mean for Valencians and Valencians?
R. A setback, especially in social rights and everything that had been advanced in equality, diversity and justice. I am convinced that we are going to suffer a lot there. And with things that were already so consolidated as the issue of language or education. These are things that no one puts on the table nowadays, whether the language is this or the other or the one from beyond. For all these things to go back now is to lose some of the rights that we had acquired as Valencians.
To me that the possibly future president of the Generalitat take measures on Valencian... But the first one who doesn't speak Valencian is him! And I suppose that like most of the ministers that he is going to name. That they let those of us who are Valencian speakers continue with our tradition and our culture, and that they do not want to impose rules that they do not even know about.
Q. You will have to reach agreements with them, with Vox, for councils that maintain the PSPV, such as Culture, Justice, I imagine also due to the issue of the Gender Violence Court. It will be hard?
R. It will be very hard. They are finishing the works of the Gender Violence Court, which is already in operation in the other building. Already pending bidding for the expansion project of the Courts. But will they be able to close some works that are about to end? Not because they are finishing some works, but because of the need to have a court like that. Are they going to close the 24-hour women's center?
P. You spoke before about the case of Dénia, where you have also obtained a Vox councilor. Do you think it will change something in local politics?
R. I hope no. He is a single councilor and the strength that he has is what he has. But, and I have said it many times, the behavior, the relations with the rest of the opposition groups during the last four years, for me it has been spectacular and I would like this legislature to end up being like that. We are not going to change. If the newcomers want things to change, they will always have us in front of them.
Q. In any case, there is a big difference between the last legislature and the current one, and that is that now there is a large block in the opposition, that of the PP with seven councillors. During the last legislature it was more distributed among various formations. Will this make it easier or more difficult to reach agreements?
R. It must be taken into account that there are eight in the opposition and in the previous legislature we were twelve in the government team. And now we are twelve more Gent of Dénia, that although he is not part of the government team, he did vote in favor and we are going to give him some delegations. Therefore, it will not be more complicated. The opposition is there and their work is what it is, and I hope that within the margins of education and respect that there must be in a democracy. Let them do their job and we will do ours.
Q. To finish, you said that this would be your last legislature, but if I'm not mistaken, the previous one would also be the last. On this occasion do you think it will be definitive?
R. If nothing happens, nothing very strange, yes. We have to take into account that in that legislature we suffered from the pandemic, we had many problems, Cristina [Morera] had to resign. In this legislature all this is not going to happen.
I am already of an age and it is necessary to leave young people, that there are people very prepared in the party to replace me. I say again, if nothing extraordinary happens, it will be my last legislature.
Q. But whenever you have run for mayor, you have won the elections. Can PSPV stay like this without you?
R. It has to be maintained. Beyond the people, which is important, there are the projects and the works that you do. The works that are finishing in Glorieta, or the works that are finishing in Marqués de Campo, or Valgamediós square, I am not the one who has done them. These are projects of a government team, of a party, which is very clear about its line. In the end, what people have to assess and decide is a line, not that it's me or someone else.
Q. You say that this will be the last. But what exactly do you mean? Will you serve the entire legislature or will you leave politics along with the mayor's baton in 2026?
R. I am a councilor until I don't know what day in June 2027. I say again, if nothing extraordinary happens I will be a councilor until that day.
Well, because of what Mr. Grimalt says and since he is a man who is already old, according to what he says. He does not show that he has acquired common sense by asking the questions that he asks himself regarding VOX and the PP.
Reflect Mr. Grimalt and ask them about your party and the category of your partners. And his government in particular, with »the jewel of Compromís». He will shut up. Today they have NOTHING IN FAVOR. What comes to the PP today like a glove; but ?? to get what?… A COUNTRY IN BANKRUPTCY, SOME DEBTS SPENT ON TRIPS IN FALCON, FESTIVALS IN THE GOLF AND THIEVES, SEPARATISTS who even in the Valencian region have substituted their speech for Catalan S/them.
The PP. He also has his dossier of grotesques, not justifiable but of incomparable magnitude. It will not even reach 10% of the crimes committed by his party, which still calls itself PSOE. a derision for the workers in general and the pro socialists, few but there are still, that is, those who have not hitched the car and do not live on politics.
DeVOX. At the moment, since he has not governed… .well, there are no arguments against him. It is true that because of his ideas
quite coherent for the maintenance of Our Homeland and try to heal the wounds and recover part of the prestige that your party has squandered. AND YOU KNOW IT. In particular, they are very afraid and the vast majority of politicians of all parties and assimilated cannot see VOX. It's not surprise. THEY KNOW VERY WHY.
As the PSOE has assumed that of Compromis and Podemos and so they go….
The PP left Valencia ruined, with very serious corruption issues that are still in the Courts.
The current mayoress of Valencia, privatized a University that was Public, of all. How short a memory people have.
The right only wants to govern for the rich and privatize hospitals, private insurance, private pensions and repeal advances for society.
Those who vote for the right and are not rich, they had to make them look at it..
They go against their interests!!
The left with the crisis, has launched the Ertes, which have saved many people, have raised pensions, they want the Denia Hospital to be reverted to citizens, there are transport aids, scholarships, etc. all for the benefit of society.
In the United States, people die at the gates of a hospital because they cannot afford treatment, because everything is privatized, or if your child wants to study they must pay 20.000 or 50.000 euros to go to a university, the poor cannot study... That is right-wing politics and if we vote for them we will end up like this. here now everything is free..let's not lose it..
Do you think that PP and Vox are going to protect the rich or the poor?
Let's see if we vote with our heads that the future is in it
The wolf is coming. The same old talk and we're worse than ever
Let's see, Vicent, four years ago you adopted the ideology of the communists, then that of the Catalan coup leaders and finally that of the Bilduetarra philoterrorists. And if the legislature had lasted and that of the criminal Xapote had been necessary. A little serious.
Well said.
In reality, we don't know what vox can do if we know what conpronis and the PSOE want so much so that the wolf is coming and we have him inside. What a shame they are the ones who leave Alós rapists and murderers on the street that we never forget
Thank you Mr. Grimalt for taking care of all of us by getting rid of those dangerous VOX terrorists (or are they not?) I trust that you will not let that Generalissimo Franco, who is so dangerous, enter our beloved Denia. Thank you again.
If Joselito returns, remember to go to the air raid shelter in the tunnel ✊
How debatable everything is. Getting into that dynamic is absurd. Because it is destructive and can be accused of the same. With whom do the socialists agree? Tito Berni, you are and the training courses? €3.200M (million)
Is the argument before a general election, VOX?.
They have few arguments then. With whom has the current government agreed? Think what you say and say what you really think. Politics must not become a simple matter of Marketig for the mere fact of staying in power and harboring thousands of faceless and nameless advisers. We live in the XNUMXst century, although some have as their support to maintain the politics of supposed fear. Please, Spanish democracy is now an adult, stop fooling around and get stuck, for that you are elected and paid, otherwise you will be doing a disservice to the citizens, who are ultimately your livelihood.
To work for Denia and less bullshit!
regards