Valencia, (EFE) President of the Valencian Association of Entrepreneurs (AVE), Vicente Boluda, has urged to knock down “so much misinformation by way of facts”.
Assembly of AVE
At the end of the general assembly of AVE, an association made up of large companies in the Valencian Community, Puig stated that the businessman who is known in this region is committed to creating quality employment, with strategic projects and the drive to training and innovation.
He has recognized the business model that AVE represents, something that is “fair to recognize here and now”, in the association’s assembly, “when there is too much noise outside and sometimes little responsibility”.
According to the words of the president of the Generalitat during the closing ceremony, which took place at the Alquería del Basket -the basketball school sponsored by the owner of Mercadona and Valencia Basket, Juan Roig, present at the AVE assembly-, criminalizing the businessman as if he were “the rich man of Monopoly is unfair, anachronistic and fallacious”.
He also referred to the strategic nature of large companies and, after a difficult year, he thanked the businessmen for their work, unity and common commitment so that each one does the best they can for their country and for society.
Boluda on the statements of Podemos
The president of AVE, the shipping company Vicente Boluda, has considered that the proximity of the elections has given rise to this discredit towards businessmen by Podemos, who “deep down” do not believe in businessmen or in private initiative.
Boluda has said that businessmen cannot fall for the provocation but neither can they stand still. “We are not going to enter into dialectical battles or disqualifications, we are going to continue doing what we are best at: creating jobs, transmitting our business culture, being ethical and contributing to our society advancing, improving and becoming more and more prosperous”, has saying.
If all this is done, he added, “we will be able to dismantle so much misinformation through the facts.”
The businessman has affirmed that these attempts to confront employers and workers do not respond to the current context, in which collaboration and transparency have come to stay.
Twelve months marked by war
On the economic side, Ximo Puig pointed out that the last twelve months have been marked by the war to which the Valencian Community has responded with social ethics, welcoming thousands of refugees and with economic strength, maintaining growth “thanks to the action of the companies”.
The community “resists and advances” with a growth of 5.1% in 2022, according to AIReF, and an expected growth of 1.9%, six tenths more than the Spanish average; It has registered an employment record of more than two million people and an export record, 1,152 companies have been created and tourism is practically at the same levels as in pre-pandemic.
Tractor companies
Puig has also highlighted the need for the presence of leading international companies in the community such as Volkswagen, Ford, HP and Hitachi. “The more facilities for investment, the more opportunities for the Valencian Community; that works for all ‘volkswágenes’”, he said.
For his part, Boluda has called for the permanent tone of institutional tension to be lowered and for there to be respect for institutions and the separation of powers, as well as for both the works on the Mediterranean Corridor and the change in the regional financing model to be accelerated.
The Government of Spain has demanded a policy that prioritizes water saving, reuse and solidarity when necessary, as well as an educational model that encourages a critical spirit and a humanist base that respects teachers.
Employment of AVE partners
During the conference, a survey was presented whose results reveal that 94% of AVE members will maintain or increase (62%) employment this year, 80% will grow in investments in Spain and 70% will reinvest their profits.
Inflation and the rise in interest rates are the main sources of concern for these companies, which are faced with maintaining competitiveness in an environment of rising prices.
Regarding Next Generation European funds, 80% of AVE companies do not participate in projects financed by these grants, most of them due to inaccessibility, lack of information and clarity.
They have also spoken out on politics and have suspended politicians, although they have been more optimistic about the regional and national economic situation, with 75% believing that this year will be the same or better than the previous one in economic terms.