Simon Wade
ALICANTE Provincial Council has approved two aid plans to help businesses devastated by the Covid pandemic and lockdown.
Some nine million euros is coming from the council themselves, with another 15 million coming from the nationwide Plan Resistir.
Freelancers, SMEs (small to medium-sized enterprises) and professionals in the hotel, restaurants and leisure sectors will be prioritised.
An extraordinary online meeting was held this morning, Wednesday February 17, with the Deputy for Economic Development, Sebastián Cañadas, highlighting “the health crisis has put businesses in extreme situations and the council are committed to putting all our work and effort at your service.”
Nine million euros is already being distributed throughout the 141 municipalities of Alicante province, to retailers and other front-line businesses.
Javier Gutiérrez
The council expects to have these funds to distribute by the end of next March.
The Deputy for Infrastructure, Javier Gutiérrez, admitted: “We have to prevent thousands of businesses from closing down and with this money we can help those who are in a borderline situation after restrictions by the pandemic.”
He continued, “Our commitment to support business does not end here, it will continue as long as circumstances do not improve, encouraging initiatives that give SMEs and freelancers a break.”
Socialist Group spokesman, Toni Francés, said the aid is: “absolutely necessary at a time as critical and complicated as the one we are experiencing.”
Only yesterday, a group of almost 200 people from the leisure industry protested in the centre of Torrevieja against lockdown restrictions.
