Puerto de la Cruz Opposition Slams Coalition Over Controversial €21 Million Budget Adjustment

Political tensions are rising in Puerto de la Cruz after the local government—a coalition of the PP, ACP, and Coalición Canaria—pushed through a 21-million-euro budget adjustment. Marco González, spokesperson for the opposition PSOE, claims the move bypassed standard oversight because it was added to an extraordinary meeting without first being reviewed by the mandatory committee.

The controversy centers on a clash between the coalition’s claims of urgency and warnings from municipal technical experts. Reports cited by the PSOE question why the measure was rushed and note that the proposal lacks clear details on how the money will be spent. According to the opposition, these technical issues affect five of the seven municipal departments, including the Mayor’s Office, raising concerns about the proposal's administrative validity.

Local regulations require that any major budget change be backed by a report proving the spending is unavoidable—a requirement the PSOE argues was ignored. Beyond the procedure, the opposition is questioning the allocation of funds. They point out that the department managed by the Asamblea Ciudadana Portuense is set to receive over 12 million euros, despite a history of low budget execution, while the commerce and services departments under Coalición Canaria receive only 7% of the total.

González also warned that this spending would reduce the municipal treasury surplus to less than 3 million euros, which he argues could leave the city unable to handle future emergencies. The PSOE views these actions as a disregard for democratic oversight, suggesting the spending is a political strategy ahead of the next election rather than a plan based on the city’s actual needs.

The Socialist group has vowed to keep a close watch on how these 21 million euros are used. They maintain that transparency is not optional, but a legal and ethical requirement that the current government has failed to meet, effectively shutting the public and the opposition out of a vital conversation about the city's future.