Compromís sees it as «incomplete» and believes that Catalá arrives «late and poorly» by publishing it «hastily and hurriedly» only to «tick a box»
The City Council of València has published for the first time its own decree that will govern the development of the festivities of the Semana Santa Marinera and that includes contributions from associations, municipal services, and involved groups, establishing regulations regarding the occupation of public roads, traffic cuts, circulation, and parking, among other issues.
The Local Government Board approved this Friday the regulations that govern the celebration, whose objective is to «facilitate the development» of the activities of the brotherhoods, corporations, and brotherhoods with the rest of the neighbors and people who attend to enjoy the festivities in the Poblats Marítims, especially in the Grau, Cabanyal, and Canyamelar, as stated by the city council in a press release.
The decree is the instrument for disseminating and informing about the rules that will be applied on the occasion of the celebration of the Semana Santa Marinera. Specifically, it will come into effect on April 11 at 00:00 and will end at 21:00 on April 24.
The councilor for Festivities and Traditions, Mónica Gil, pointed out that the guidelines aim to «inform about the main celebrations that will take place during the Semana Santa Marinera and whose location is in the public domain, that is why we considered the need to regulate them in a decree.»
Gil detailed that the process of creating and drafting the decree began last September and that the document includes «contributions from associations, municipal services, and involved groups,» establishing «regulations regarding the occupation of public roads, traffic cuts, circulation, and parking, among other issues.»
The councilor thanked «all participants, associations, brotherhoods, corporations, neighbors, merchants, and municipal services for their collaboration to make possible the celebration of one of the most emblematic festivities of our city.» «The Semana Santa Marinera is a reflection of devotion, tradition, and the costalera history of València,» she pointed out.
PROCESSIONS
The decree establishes that in those areas of public roads intended for the stay of people who come as spectators to the processions, «no element that may hinder the free movement of the public or their evacuation» should be installed. Parking of vehicles is not allowed, «nor the presence of scaffolding, tables, chairs, or any other element that may be an obstacle during the scheduled events during the Semana Santa Marinera.»
Furthermore, in the event that the removal of vehicles is necessary, the organizers, «once they have obtained the favorable resolution from the corresponding municipal service, must place the necessary signage and inform the Local Police Proximity Station where the events will take place.»
ACOUSTIC AND METEOROLOGICAL CONSTRAINTS
The text recommends not to prolong «beyond what is strictly necessary» the duration of events that end later than 23:00, to avoid extending into a period of night with special acoustic protection. And it recommends the end of activities with acoustic impact «at most» at 02:00.
Likewise, the document points out that the development of any type of event in a public area will be «subject to the protocol established by the City Council for action in case of meteorological alerts.»
Regarding the protection of heritage, the decree reminds that the space in front of the facades of the BIC cannot be occupied, «having to respect at least three meters in free spaces or roads.» In this space, it specifies, processions and other civic activities planned because they are traditional uses of the space are allowed, as long as they are included in the regulations of the PEP and the Law on Valencian Cultural Heritage.
It is also added that the event organizers «must ensure maximum caution regarding sculptures and other public ornamental elements installed in the public space that have historical-artistic value.»
For Mónica Gil, this decree is «a fundamental resource to coordinate and highlight our traditions.» «It is our responsibility to ensure that these festivities are appreciated and celebrated with the respect, security, and solemnity they deserve. This document not only commemorates history but also establishes the foundations for the future of this tradition declared a National Tourist Interest Festival,» she emphasized.
«ONLY TO TICK A BOX»
On the other hand, the councilor of Compromís in the City Council of València, Pere Fuset, has considered that the government team led by Mayor María José Catalá arrives «late and poorly to publish an incomplete decree» for the Semana Santa Marinera, «without consulting the festival, only to tick a box.»
The councilor, in statements sent to the media, has claimed that this specific decree for the maritime festival, «like the one historically held by the Fallas, arises from a unanimous agreement from the previous term in which Compromís established that it would involve the protagonists of Cabanyal, Canyamelar, and Grau, as happens with the dialogue table of the Fallas decree.»
However, he emphasized that this document «should have been published in 2024, but the Catalá government team failed to comply with the agreement,» and now «publishes a text hastily and hurriedly that the festival itself was unaware of until a few hours ago and after having had only one superficial meeting months ago.»
For Fuset, the PP and Vox –who govern the Valencian council– have approved an «incomplete and express» text only to prevent the mayor from returning today to the festival with empty hands before the proclamation.» «The Semana Santa decree, in addition to being incomplete and full of inaccuracies, is limited to little more than collecting the festival program to fill pages,» he lamented. «And even that is done poorly, leaving out events like today’s proclamation or tomorrow’s retreat, marking the start on the 11th. It would be like leaving out the ‘Crida’ from the Fallas festivities,» he exemplified.
He also warned that the text «also overlooks fundamental aspects such as the necessary gardening work, turning off the fountains, as well as the necessary restrictions on other external activities that may affect the festival events.» «An aspect that already complicated the celebration of the festival last year,» he pointed out.
According to Fuset, «it also does not facilitate obtaining permits for brotherhoods, fraternities, and corporations, as the Fallas decree does with the Fallas; omits any reference to issues of equality, sustainability, accessibility, and inclusion, and leaves out areas such as commerce and hospitality in the area.» «It even mistakenly includes the Malvarrosa neighborhood among the festive activity areas,» he noted.
Faced with this situation, from Compromís, they regret that this is «a missed opportunity and that, just as they have tried to dismantle the Fallas dialogue table, here they have turned their back on participation.» «The second festival of the city deserved much more than what the PP and Vox have done, arriving late and poorly to fulfill a unanimous agreement of all groups acquired before the change of government,» he concluded.
