For the mayor of Valencia, Maria José CataláIt’s “now or never” with the resumption of work on New MestallaThe first mayor speaks to ABC to outline the main challenges facing her government, including unblocking once and for all the construction of the next stronghold of the Valencia Football Club fifteen years after the machines left the Valencians’ Cortés Avenue.
It remains to be seen whether Peter Lim will meet the deadlines set and he says he will carry out an external audit of the operation once he has received the execution project, before October 12, and hopes that the city will see the end of a “shame” that has been going on for fifteen years now, without losing sight of the hope of being able to be part of Spain’s candidacy for the 2030 World Cupas FIFA wishes, according to the Higher Sports Council.
— Do you believe that Peter Lim will keep his word and that work will resume in January?
—Valencia communicates through the media that it intends to comply. We are waiting and we think that the question of the new stadium is now or never.
— Do you mean it this time?
— As I said, it’s now or never. The works were paralyzed in 2009. How can a city that has the vocation to manage and organize major sporting events let a stadium that has been paralyzed for fifteen years enter one of the main entrances? It’s a disgrace for the Valencians and a very visible sign of a big problem. So, after so long, I hope they will definitely resume for the residents of the Benicalap neighborhood, for the reputation of Valencia and logically also for the club.
—In the approved planning documents, the mandatory nature of an external audit to determine the cost of the stadium was written in black and white. Has it been launched?
“The audit can only be launched when Valencia presents the execution project, because that is when the qualities of the stadium are evident and what is going to be done is really specified.
— So we could ask for it before October 12?
— Of course, we will order it when the execution project arrives here at the City Hall.
— What seems incomprehensible is that there is no direct dialogue between the mayor and the club.
—The mayor of Valencia, when she arrived at the city hall, told the club something very clear, that they will have to show me that we can talk. There have been many violations in the past with the city. The time has come when credibility must be earned by facts and that is why I have taken the unilateral decision to only speak when they show me that they are serious.
— Besides football, he also wants Vela to return.
—The Copa América was the straw that broke the camel’s back for the patience of the Valencians. When they saw that the previous government was losing opportunities to project and improve its economy, they realized that we were heading towards a process of decline and irreparable deterioration. The competition came from Valencia and the organizers wanted to stay here, but the regional and local governments of the left laid down their arms and let that ship pass, it is never better said.
María José Catalá shows the bonsai that the people affected by the Campanar fire gave her during the interview with ABC
—Now we have a competitor.
Yes, Barcelona, which the central government has granted the status of an event of exceptional interest, unlike Valencia with the European Green Capital. But we are going to fight because we consider that we have the best regatta platform and we believe that our vocation for water sports is undeniable.
—Valencia is a city of sport.
—Precisely, we have sporting events that have become out of the ordinary, such as the Marathon, which attracts quality and healthy tourism and does not generate coexistence problems. Now, we have had the Davis Cup group stage but we want more and this government will ensure that the final does not take place in another Spanish city.
—In the Roig Arena?
—The Roig Arena will represent a before and after in the sporting and cultural history of the city.
—You mention tourism in a context of considerable increase in visitor arrivals. Is Valencia in a good moment?
—We have managed to create a climate of normality and at the same time curb the tendency towards tourism phobia for two reasons: firstly, because Valencians are very aware that it is a fundamental sector of our economy and that many families depend on it; and secondly, because local and regional leaders have shown that there is a person in charge willing to organise quality tourism.
—The problem of illegal tourist apartments is there.
“The big problem is irregular activities, not legal activities. Before, there were no inspection teams and Joan Ribó did absolutely nothing for eight years to combat irregular activities. There was no ordinance and only one measure was taken in 2018 that was a mistake and that was to authorize them in commercial basements.
— What does your government propose?
— We have implemented a moratorium on permits that allows us to photograph neighborhoods to know where there are excesses, such as in Ciutat Vella, where there will be no more. Secondly, we have increased inspections of tourist apartments by 454%, so much so that in the first half of 2023 there were 48 and in 2024 266 have already been registered. In addition, in 2022 73 reports were drawn up and this year we. we already have 449 and we have issued 278 direct closure orders.
—It is a problem that is getting worse in the city centre.
—The left is turning city centres into places reserved for tourists and franchisees, which is what happened here in the last eight years, where the people of Valencia could not access the centre because up to seven EMT bus lines had been cut, which are now back. And they have not protected traditional commerce either, which is why we have started a process of self-esteem and leadership to relaunch our city and achieve quality tourism in line with our heritage and cultural appeal, such as the second largest art gallery in Spain, the Centro de Hortensia Herrero Art, for example.
