The Municipal Socialist Group of Orihuela is set to present a motion at the next plenary session to demand the continuity of the ORIENTA service across the Comunitat Valenciana. The party is also calling for the establishment of a permanent, public, comprehensive LGTBI care office for the Vega Baja region, to be headquartered in Orihuela. This initiative follows what the PSOE describes as a period of “uncertainty and abandonment” regarding the regional support resource for the community.
Socialist councillor Juan López has claimed that the province of Alicante has been left without an effective delivery of the service for months. He accused the Consell, formed by the PP and Vox, of driving a “step backwards” in equality policies. According to López, ORIENTA previously provided psychological support, legal counsel, and social guidance to LGTBI individuals facing discrimination or exclusion.
López argued that Orihuela has successfully established a consistent Pride programme in recent years. This was achieved through the dedication of associations such as Atrévete Orihuela and the promotion of equality policies during the previous municipal government, which was a coalition between the PSOE and Ciudadanos. However, he warned that “a major city cannot limit itself solely to specific events or symbolic campaigns,” insisting instead on the need for year-round, permanent resources.
In this regard, the PSOE maintains that both Orihuela and the wider Vega Baja area currently lack a specialized public office providing comprehensive support to the LGTBI community. This shortage leaves many individuals completely dependent on the voluntary work carried out by local associations and social groups.
The Socialists view it as particularly serious that a region with a population exceeding 400,000 residents and a highly dispersed geography still does not have a dedicated resource of this nature. “Equality cannot depend on where you live or whether you can afford to travel to Alicante to receive specialised attention,” López stated.
The motion tabled by the PSOE outlines three specific agreements: demanding the continuity of the ORIENTA service throughout the Comunitat Valenciana, urging the Department of Equality to urgently reinstate stable service provision in Alicante, and requesting the opening of an ORIENTA office in Vega Baja with its headquarters based in Orihuela.
Furthermore, López asserted that the decline in equality policies is “increasingly evident,” accusing the right and far-right of draining the substance from public resources designated for the LGTBI community.
