During the period 2011-2025, the province of Alicante accounted for 37.2% of the population of the Valencian Community but only received 28.9% of regional investment, according to a report by the Institute of Economic Studies of the Province of Alicante (Ineca). This difference, 8.3%, translates into an accumulated investment debt of 490 million euros. The report analyzes the 2026 Valencian Generalitat Budget project, which shows a more favorable picture for Alicante in territorialized investment, but Ineca warns that an improvement in the initial document should not be confused with an effective correction of a fifteen-year imbalance.
Historically, accumulated investment in Alicante stands at 938 euros per inhabitant, compared to the regional average of 1,191 euros, meaning 78.8% of the Valencian average. This persistent and structural gap, according to Ineca, spans from 2011 and covers different political stages. The 2026 Budget project allocates 38.4% of territorialized investment to Alicante, a percentage slightly exceeding its demographic weight. However, the issue lies in the fact that this percentage is calculated on only a portion of the investment, as 52.3% (757.9 million euros) remains without an assigned province.
The budget project allocates 265.6 million euros to the province of Alicante within real territorialized investment (38.4%), while Valencia concentrates 48.8% and Castellón 12.9%. Investment without an assigned territory in Health reaches 251.5 million, followed by Economy and Finance (162.2 million), Education (145.4 million), and Infrastructure (117.8 million). These four departments account for nearly 90% of the investment pending localization, including projects such as hospitals, educational centers, and roads.
Francisco Llopis, head of the study, questions why projects like civil works are categorized as "without specific territory," arguing that a road has a route, a school occupies a plot, and a hospital is built in a municipality. Ineca believes that the lack of territorialization stems from a lack of accessible information that prevents an analysis of budget equity. Alfredo Millá, president of Ineca, has described the accounts as a "new disappointment" for the province, calling for progressive compensation to address the accumulated investment gap.
The report also indicates that the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years show the worst real execution results for Alicante. Ineca acknowledges that exceptional investment may be concentrated in a territory due to emergencies or specific needs, but the imbalance arises when it is not corrected in the medium and long term. The 490 million "debt" is an estimate of what Alicante would have received more if investment had been distributed proportionally to its population since 2011.
Ineca also emphasizes the importance of budget execution. In 2025, out of 4,183 million euros available for direct investment and capital transfers, only 3,299 million (78.9%) were committed, leaving 884 million unexecuted. The areas of Social Services, Environment, and Education accounted for the largest portion of this uncommitted investment. The lack of territorialization of these funds prevents calculating the real impact in Alicante.
Santiago Carbó, director general of Studies and Projects at Ineca, believes the real challenge is to "execute better," not just "budget more," pointing to technical and administrative limitations. The investment gap also reduces Alicante's competitiveness, as it grows in population but does not converge in income and productivity. Alfredo Millá summarizes this contradiction by stating that "Alicante advances, but does not converge," and that infrastructure deficits hinder the attraction of investment and talent.
