He was mayor in 2011 and handed over the command to Cs four years later after a government pact. Now, Ángel Nozal affirms that he sees “the situation better” than when he obtained an absolute majority with 15 councillors.

Mijas Weekly. The PP won the local elections in 2011, 2015 and 2019.

Angel Nozal. Yes, the last three; the first, by absolute majority. I am very grateful for the trust placed in us.

M.W. Does that support reassure you?

A.N. Quite. I am very confident in repeating the result, but with more votes.

M.W. In your slogan you promise to do it well.

A.N. It is a national slogan. We are convinced that between 2011 and 2015 we did well, but now we will do better because we are a management party. We always give as an example the tremendous work that Juanma Moreno has carried out in four years.

M.W. Your 2011 mandate coincided with shaky economic times.

A.N. Very hard. I remember the tremendous recession and the number of unemployed, which increased to 24%. We had to resort to savings strategies to be able to help people, giving them decent work and a small salary.

M.W. At that time the Town Hall was in debt.

A.N. We inherited close to 70 million in debts. There were many things that had been bought and had not been paid for, such as the land where the La Candelaria parking lot is or the land for El Juncal, which were more than 5 million. We owed 6 million to a promoter for the land for the sports center and the La Cala swimming pool. In addition, Minister Montoro forced us to make all savings to pay.

M.W. Coming back to 2023, you have formed a team with few changes, although Carmen Márquez is not there, but Ana Carmen Mata has joined you.

A.N. Ana Carmen Mata has enormous experience in the ‘Junta’ and we are going to have to go hand in hand with them and not waste a single minute either in the processing of Next Generation funds or in matters as important as health care and the issue of families. Because right now I see that the problem of family welfare has decreased due to economic circumstances. Carmen Márquez has decided that she does not want to continue as councillor. For me it is fundamental and, if the PP governs, she will old a very important position within the government team without being a councillor.

M.W. What about the rest?

A.N. The central group is the one that made up the party from 2011 to 2015. I want to have people who don’t have to come to learn.

M.W. How have you lived this mandate in the opposition?

A.N. We are running because we do not like how things have been done. There are many things that I would have carried out, but after having established some more important principles for me, such as family well-being. Spend 33 million on a park; return 250 euros to each registered person, which is 22 and a half million; talk about 8 or 6 million in concerts... that’s right, but when there are no people who live poorly. Cleaning has perhaps been a major failure of this government team, the maintenance and repair of roads and the problem with animals, which has worsened with wild boars, colonies of cats and feral dogs.

M.W. The first point in your electoral programme is housing. 

A.N. We have as a fundamental idea to promote and develop all VPO land, either to purchase or rent and that does not exceed 300 or 400 euros. If we only had one euro, I would dedicate it to housing and social assistance rather than to concerts and megaprojects.

M.W. Have you thought about where to build these homes? 

A.N. Yes, they are in the General Plan. All developments have to reserve 30% of their land for VPO housing. The owners of that land must be forced to build them. And the Town Hall itself and the State have their own plots on which they can be built. In Valtocado there is the possibility of doing more than 200.

M.W. They also talk about houses in an irregular situation again.

A.N. There are almost 4,000. Within the new Law for the Promotion of the Sustainability of the Andalusian Territory (LISTA), there is the Second Chance Law to be able to regularize these homes. We will not allow any further attacks against the planning of the territory.

M.W. And on the subject of the hospital or the Chare, what can you say?

A.N. This mandate we are going to have the Chare, which is going to be next to the mosque, in Fuengirola, or behind the Miramar, where it can be built before, but we have to have it because the Las Lagunas Health Centre is obsolete. It does not depend on the Town Hall, but I will press.

M.W. What does the PP propose for elderly persons in Mijas? 

A.N. I had the Corea Plan, which was to change facilities inside houses, such as bathtubs for showers. We will improve the quality of life inside the houses; with the ‘Junta’, in which the assistance is at homes and as to the residences, we have to make three or four private, public or public-private.

M.W. You have also reported measures to favour tourism. 

A.N. Cleanliness is essential for tourism and safety as well. It is not of the highest level and not because of the workers. On the subject of cleaning, it is a bad contract, poorly studied, and a company that is not complying.

M.W. Basic Income, which was implanted by the PP, collaborates in the cleaning work.

A.N. Yes, in those years we sought 3 million despite the Montoro law, the expenditure ceiling and having to pay debt and we found a solution, which will not last forever.  Basic Income is not intended to hire long-term, but to recycle the unemployed. It was never created to replace municipal staff.

M.W. Would you be willing to pact?

A.N. I always was. Even if we obtain an absolute majority, I will offer councillors to other parties.

M.W. It did not go well with Cs. 

A.N. Not because of us. We were 11, and they were 5, we gave them the mayor’s office and when they kicked us out, I found out on the radio. I will make pacts with everyone except them.

M.W. With Cs or with Maldonado?

A.N. Cs. Maldonado had the gallantry to publicly apologize in front of 600 former councillors and 5 former mayors. You have to have a lot of courage for that. When someone asks for forgiveness you have to accept it.

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