Junta's head seeks central government 'resources' for extension of train line along whole of Costa del Sol

Cristina Vallejo

Malaga

Tuesday, 22 April 2025, 14:59

President of the Junta de Andalucía, Juanma Moreno Bonilla, has urged central government in Madrid to provide the necessary funds to the region so a full coastal rail network along the Costa del Sol can be built in Malaga province. "No region in Spain can continue to advance if it does not have good connectivity. Malaga is growing in population, and not because of its birth rate, but it is the city and the province chosen by thousands of people every year to live, to work, to progress, to move forward, and this means that we are continuing to grow. But, despite this growth, [central] government has no sensitivity to recognise that, hey, for this goose that lays the golden eggs contributing so many millions of euros to the public coffers - and we do it proudly because we want to contribute to the wealth of the whole of Spain - we are going to reinvest some of that contribution into something as necessary and timely as a train," said Moreno. He then threw down a gauntlet: "If they are not capable of doing it, if the national government feels incapable of doing this, they should talk to us, but with the resources, with each and every one of the resources necessary to be able to carry out the work. And I can assure you that we are capable of doing it. If we can do it without money, imagine what we can do with money."

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Among the official requests that Moreno sent to Moncloa was one related to another transport infrastructure issue: "make the prices of the AP-7 toll motorway more flexible" as it is "the only toll road that exists right now in Andalucía." His call for flexibility was for the workers who have to use it every day now that the main tourist season is in full swing as of this month, so tolls are higher. "Since they have no alternative public transport, make the prices more flexible, lower the tariff so that these workers can continue to work." He added: "These are sensible and reasonable things that we are asking for, but there are [national] ministers who are busy with other things." These comments were made during the Junta president's speech at the latest meeting of the regional executive committee for the Partido Popular (PP). The meeting was held on Monday this week in a Malaga hotel.

Juanma Moreno linked these demands with his complaint about how, in his opinion, central government has been treating Andalucía in general: "We are a little tired of the fact that, when it comes to deciding on investments, when it comes to deciding the future, when it comes to sharing out progress, Andalucía is always last in the share-out." He continued: "Nobody should think that they can come here with their hands outstretched asking for votes when, for six consecutive years, they have mistreated each and every one of the interests of our region in each and every aspect."

The PP leader, who began his speech by remembering the late Pope Francis and asking for a minute's silence from those attending, also highlighted some of the projects that the regional government is developing in Malaga province. He framed these as part of "the reconstruction phase of damage that was done in the years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, of cuts, adjustments, lack of foresight", referring to the aftermath of the financial crash when PSOE was in charge of the Junta. "That is why this Andalusian government, without any magic wands, without any fanfare, is working quietly, calmly, sensibly and steadily over time to rebuild much of the damage."

In the area of healthcare, he highlighted the fact that most of the extension work to the Hospital Costa del Sol in Marbella is already under way, which is fundamental given that this geographical area is a driving force for tourism. Next to be mentioned were that the Hospital del Guadalhorce is now fully open, improvements at the Hospital Clínico and the refurb of the Axarquía hospital are complete, several health centres in the province have been opened and construction work for El Palo hospital in Malaga city has started.

Moreno elaborated further on the proposed third city hospital in Malaga: "It is going to be a project that will be put out to tender this year. It is terribly complex, but it will clearly be an avant-garde project for Spain as a whole. The good thing about this [regional] government is that nothing that is started is left undone. Every step we take, there is no turning back. It is no longer reversible." He confirmed that there will definitely be a third hospital and he jokingly added that "we will have to give it a name."

In the field of education, Moreno highlighted the centres of Las Chapas and Mijas. On infrastructure, he pointed out the fact that three underground railways are being developed at the same time in Andalucía - the one in Malaga plus one each in Seville and Granada - and two tram systems.

He also confirmed that water supply work is still under way: "Nobody should assume that, just because it thankfully rained this year, any of this work is going to stop. Not at all. Let's take advantage of this time, this peace of mind that comes from knowing that we have some guaranteed water supply, to strengthen and continue increasing our capacity to accumulate water for when times of drought come." To illustrate this he mentioned projects already underway such as the recycling of water for industrial and agricultural use and the extension to the operating capacity of Marbella's desalination plant.

Elías Bendodo, deputy secretary-general for the PP's regional and municipal policies in Andalucía and who spoke before the Junta president gave his speech, also highlighted the party's achievements in the region: "Andalusia is a resounding success today for business creation, for unprecedented investment in education and healthcare. Remember those false banners of socialism as the PP would call them: now it's a 15.25 billion-euro healthcare budget. When we came into power in Andalucía in 2018, the public healthcare budget was eight billions, half that." It "resounds" as a success because of that and not, said Bendodo, because of the ERE scandals (workforce redundancy plans), or because of the "corruption" that "has been embedded in Moncloa, in PSOE and in the Prime Minister's own family."

In addition, Bendodo criticised central government and deputy PM María Jesús Montero for being "non-compliant" with the terms of the Spanish constitution, terms "which she is not complying with by not presenting the [regional] budgets." He continued: "If the people of Andalucía have freely decided to support the PP, it is precisely because we have a president who manages. This is what makes central government permanently maintain a 'vendetta' against Andalucía."