Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)RONDA is on course for a high-speed collision with Marbella over who will get the AVE first.
Despite the line scheduled to arrive in Ronda by 2014, Costa del Sol council officials are hoping to delay its arrival by urging it be connected to the coast first.
Marbella council unanimously called for it to be prioritised, angering Ronda socialist chiefs who immediately demanded they withdraw their proposal.
“We cannot allow Marbella to be prioritised over Ronda,” said PSOE spokesman Francisco Canestro. “The existing plans should not be shelved.”
However, the socialists’ incensed stance was not supported by local opposition, the Partido Popular (PP) and the Izquierda Unida (IU).
“If you repeat a lie 100 times it will still not become true.”
PP spokesperson Maripaz Fernandez accused the socialists of trying to manipulate, distort and “deceive” citizens.
“If you repeat a lie 100 times it will still not become true,” she explained.
“We understand that Marbella’s demands will not impact on the Ronda-Antequera plans and also recognise that the Costa del Sol is a very important tourist zone.”
And IU spokesperson Rafael Ruiz added: “We have no right to demand Marbella withdraws its application.
“It is shameful that officials are using a public service to create a conflict between two towns.”
But Canestro replied: “These two parties should support Ronda and call for the original plans to be adhered to.”
