Víctor Costa Mazón, the Director General of Urban Planning, Projects, Infrastructure, and Basic Services, has bid farewell to the civil servants in his department and declared his intention to resign from his position at Torrevieja City Council. He is anticipated to commence his responsibilities as the Deputy Director of Urban Planning for the city of Murcia at the beginning of May. The technician’s intention to resign from his current position at Torrevieja City Council, which he freely assigns as a position of trust held by Mayor Eduardo Dolón, has been acknowledged by sources from the People’s Party government team. However, this decision has not been “100%” confirmed.

The architect was employed by the mayor at the commencement of his 2019-2023 term as one of the critical positions in the new organisational structure of general directors, which is safeguarded by the “Large Municipalities Law.” Additionally, these directors were mandated to be high-ranking officials. The gross annual remuneration for one of these positions exceeds €100,000.

He has been able to progress with certain pending projects without encountering unfavourable technical reports from department heads, as a result of a customised organisational chart. Additionally, the unique position of “technical civil servant and position of trust” has been assigned responsibility for certain decisions that are more political than technical.

Costa had previously held a variety of roles in the Department of Urban Planning and Municipal Intervention at Torrevieja City Council before assuming the role of general manager. In this capacity, he has been a critical figure for Eduardo Dolón. He has been primarily responsible for the establishment of the framework agreement for the execution of works and projects, which should have expedited many of the contract awards, and for attempting to resolve some of the outstanding issues in the renewal of the City Council’s public service contracts within these years. In order to concentrate on particular management areas, Dolón was obliged to relinquish some of his responsibilities as general manager.

Nevertheless, his administration has been unevenly balanced. The municipal government has eventually completed several of the projects that were repeatedly announced, including the remodelling of the Sports Palace, the new La Mata sports centre, the La Mata pedestrian walkway, La Siesta Park, and certain port area projects. The most significant and expensive initiatives, including the redevelopment of Paseo de la Libertad, are still ongoing.

After more than four years of processing, the new urban transport service in Torrevieja, which has been operating without a contract and with monthly maintenance reports since 2012, remains pending. The project to renovate the Eras de la Sal and its environs, which are presently in a state of disrepair, is still pending.

Dolón is not in a favourable position as a result of the Director General of Urban Planning’s decision. The Urban Planning position, in contrast to other vacancies that may arise within the general directors’ organisation, cannot remain vacant for an extended period of time due to the pending and stalled projects. These projects include the redevelopment of the Salt Eras and its surroundings, which includes the construction of the Sea and Salt Museum, the rehabilitation of the Ice Factory as a tourist office, and the establishment of a walkway through the old Era Alta.

The project’s budget, which was €8 million when it was first announced in February 2021, has since increased to €31 million (including VAT). The municipality’s primary industrial heritage example, which is safeguarded by the General Urban Development Plan (PGOU), is currently in a state of disrepair. This contributes to its undeniable historical value as an 18th-century architectural heritage, which also originates from the town of Torrevieja. It is imperative that the issue be resolved as soon as possible.

Additionally, the redevelopment of La Libertad Promenade and the access to the new leisure area are still undecided. The contracts for this endeavour only encompass a portion of the work, but not the most critical components. In the interim, in order to facilitate the renovation of the Levante Dike Promenade, other municipal departments were required to intervene in order to unblock the project and withdraw the contract from the framework agreement that Costa had established in order to expedite the process.

At times, Costa’s administration has been characterised by controversy, despite the fact that it is designated by the primary municipal public works and services providers as Eduardo Dolón’s right-hand man and possesses substantial decision-making power.

For instance, when he included an individual bid evaluation report in the award of the multi-million-dollar rubbish collection contract, the largest in Torrevieja’s history, without the contracting committee’s explicit request and concurrently with the report prepared by the contract’s lead technician. The committee solely requested that he examine certain arithmetic calculations in the main report, in conjunction with three other technicians. Nevertheless, he draughted his own, in which he disqualified the company that had been evaluated first and ultimately secured the contract.

Despite the fact that the contracting committee itself reported this irregularity in writing, he was able to maintain Dolón’s trust. Costa resigned from his position during the awarding of the refuse contract, which was worth €400 million over a 25-year period. However, he promptly reversed his decision and returned to his position one month later.

Some argue that this would not be the first time he has altered his mind, and he may do so again. This is due to the aforementioned background. However, at the moment, there are already polls being conducted to determine who will succeed him at the primary headquarters of City Hall, located in Plaza de la Constitución. Some individuals suggest that authorities are already present in the office.

The results of the door-to-door refuse collection system that Dolores City Council implemented one year ago were presented yesterday, Tuesday April 22nd. The data indicate a substantial increase in the number of residents who separate waste at the source, which has enabled the municipality to establish itself as a reference point in the Vega Baja region and, more importantly, to decrease the waste collection rate for its residents by 2025.

Mayor Joaquín Hernández underscored that “households are obligated to pay for their consumption and pollution, as mandated by law. Additionally, municipalities are obligated to cover the cost of waste collection services through fees.” The Dolores City Council, in collaboration with the concessionaire Urbaser, has successfully implemented a door-to-door collection system in this context.

The results speak for themselves:

Packaging: The collection increased by 83% in comparison to the previous year and by 106% in comparison to the year before the system was implemented.

Paper and Cardboard: A 95% increase in the collection of paper and cardboard, which corresponds to an additional 7,800 kilogrammes collected through door-to-door services. The increase is 96% in comparison to January of the previous year.

Organic Waste: Dolores, despite the absence of a brown container, accumulates an average of 26,000 kilos per month through the door-to-door system, resulting in a total of 200 tonnes. The fact that Dolores, a city with 9,000 residents, collects over 60% of the organic refuse from the entire Vega Baja region, which has a population of 400,000, is a significant fact.

Waste Fraction (Grey Container): The municipality has reduced the quantity of waste destined for this container by 30%, resulting in 139,530 fewer kilograms being sent to the landfill since the implementation of the door-to-door system. This container costs the municipality €42.80 per tonne. A 35% average reduction in the refuse fraction since the system’s inception, which is equivalent to approximately 90,000 kilogrammes.

Joaquín Hernández underscored that the commitment of residents has been essential, despite the fact that implementation necessitated educational and informational support. “He stated that European law establishes explicit separation objectives, and the sole means of ensuring their fulfilment is through a service that facilitates the process, such as door-to-door service.”

The mayor clarified that the installation of smart container islands, which is estimated to cost €2 million, was not an option due to the fact that user identification does not ensure appropriate separation. Additionally, the municipality would incur financial penalties in the event that it fails to achieve European objectives.

According to a survey, the door-to-door service is satisfactory to eight out of ten consumers. The Environmental Educator, the Department, and municipal personnel were thanked by the City Council for their assistance in coordinating with the homeowners’ associations and providing information.

Dolores has become one of the only municipalities in Spain to decrease its waste fee in 2025, due to the success of the door-to-door system in 2023, in contrast to other municipalities in the Vega Baja that have updated and increased their waste fees. In addition, the registration of over 200 previously unaccounted-for users has been facilitated by the appropriate monitoring of residents, who are responsible for paying according to their generation.

The rate is anticipated to decrease even further by 2026, as the door-to-door system will enable residents who correctly separate refuse at the source to be identified, thereby rewarding them for their environmental commitment. By utilising a device and wristbands, the City Council can precisely monitor the participation of each household through the bin-reading system.

Dolores, therefore, serves as a model for refuse management, illustrating that a citizen-collaborative, efficient door-to-door system can not only enhance the environment but also directly benefit residents’ finances.

For more than a century, the peseta was the currency of Spain, until the euro was introduced in January 2002. Despite the fact that pesetas were able to be exchanged at the Bank of Spain until relatively recently, specifically until June 30th, 2021, they were no longer used to pay on February 28th, the same year in which they coexisted. It is important to note that the value of 100 old pesetas is equivalent to 0.60 euros today, and as a result, they are no longer exchangeable for euros. However, they are still quite expensive.

It has been discovered that a significant number of Spaniards chose to conserve a few pesetas as a memento, a decision that could now be worth thousands of euros. On the numismatic market, which is specifically designed for coin collectors, there are specific coins that can be purchased for over 150,000 euros due to their rarity, age, or exclusivity.

In reality, there are numerous items that continue to possess substantial economic value. A 100-peseta coin entered circulation during the provisional administration that emerged after Isabel II’s fall in 1870. One coin, for example, which is 36 millimetres in diameter and weighs 32.25 grammes of gold, is adorned with an effigy, while the reverse displays the official coat of arms of the monarchy. If you own such a coin, you should inspect it, as you could potentially receive up to 150,000 euros for it.

Coins up to one million

The 1937 one-peseta coin is another of the most valuable pieces, as it is the first of this denomination to be crafted from brass rather than precious metal. This coin, which was referred to as “the grape pesetas,” was produced in 50 million quantities. Consequently, coin collectors may perceive it as less valuable. Nevertheless, it has been sold for as much as €250,000, despite the fact that its distribution was delayed than that of a more common coin:

It is remarkable that certain pesetas are also sold for millions. They are regarded as one-of-a-kind sculptures and have been valued at $1 million. This is the case with a commemorative 25-peseta coin from the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, which is a unique and singular piece due to its unique silver finish. The coin has a flaw in its finish, which makes it a unique and valuable item that can garner up to a million euros on eBay. Nevertheless, its value was further augmented by the fact that it was never placed into circulation and could only be acquired at institutions.

More prevalent but of lesser value

An additional illustration is a 1946 coin that was among the first to exhibit Franco’s portrait on the obverse. However, its uniqueness is derived from its dissimilarity to the portrait on the coins that were introduced into circulation a year later, in 1947. Consequently, it is exceedingly challenging to locate and counterfeit. It is currently available for purchase at a price of 3,000 euros. It achieved its greatest value at a 2011 auction held by Martí Hervera & Soler y Llach, where it was sold for 7,400 euros.

Additionally, there is a 1944 aluminium and copper coin from the Franco era that lacks the dictator’s star and is valued at up to 1,000 euros, contingent upon its condition.

You do not need to travel far to locate coin collectors and purchasers; as we have observed, coins are even sold on eBay. Nevertheless, the prices of these items are subject to significant fluctuations based on their unique characteristics, as there are no established prices in this market. To prevent falling victim to counterfeit coins, it is advisable to purchase and sell coins through official channels.