San Pablo's 'illegal' Junta still functions three months after new Councils were established

San Pablo de Buceite

JIMENA / San Pablo (Agencies) Three months after new, post-electoral Councils throughout the country came into official being, the so-called Junta de Distrito (District Council) of San Pablo de Buceite still exists. Although this might not surprise anyone, it is in fact presided by Andrés Beffa (PSOE), who was named as such at the session that constituted the Council of Jimena (of which municipality San Pablo is part) on June 11. The political and administrative entity is holding a plenary session next Tuesday with seven of its eight members (5 representing political groups and 3, local associations), all except Beffa as 'acting members'. Beffa sees this as 'an aberration' according to Europa Sur, because there will be members present who were not even on the electoral lists at the May 22 elections. According to statutes, says Beffa, the Junta should have been constituted 45 days after the Municipal Council. The Junta de Distrito is therefore illegal.>>>

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The PSOE, which lost heavily at the May elections, say the reasons behind the situation are purely party politically motivated. According to Beffa, Jimena Mayor Guillermo Ruiz (PP) wants to include associations that have connections to parties other than those who support it (the PP) in the main Council, that is, IU and PA.

Beffa thinks that the new mayor wants the Junta de Distrito to 'disappear' despite the fact that it has existed for seven years and been constituted twice -with a third still pending. He calls the situation "unspeakable" and complains that the other parties are doing nothing about it.

For his part, Guillermo Ruiz rejected Beffa's assertions and declared that the Municipal Council is creating new regulations for the entire municipality, which include those for the ELA (Entidad Local Autónoma, Autonomous Local Entity) in San Martín del Tesorillo and the District Council of San Pablo. "It was the associations that asked for more participation," says Ruiz. "Frankly, none of them have any affiliation with the PP and all of them must be represented," he added.

"To the socialists, politics is more important than solving problems, whereas I am trying to sort out the finances and make the situation viable. I am working on a finance plan that should improve the Council's financial circumstances," concluded the Mayor.