The spokesman of the Socialist Parliamentary Group Joaquín López Pagán has demanded the regional government "to demonstrate political will for the recovery of the heritage of the Region of Murcia" and allocate a specific economic amount of regional budgets for 2018 to continue with the excavation work in the site of La Bastida.
The Socialist Parliamentary Group visited this morning La Bastida with the mayor of Totana Andrés García Cánovas to know in situ this international archaeological reference, without a doubt, "the most important archaeological site of the Argaric culture of the Peninsula", with about 4,000 years of antiquity, besides being the largest fortified city of prehistory, with about 1,000 inhabitants.
This site has been carrying out excavation work for 9 years and only 15% of its extension is known.
López Pagán complained to the regional government "that this finding should not be stopped and that funds destined to be valued should be invested in the budget allocated in 2018 for the recovery of the archaeological heritage".
The socialist spokesman acknowledged the effort and great work being done by the Autonomous University of Barcelona for its recovery and also the great effort that the City of Totana is putting to preserve this unique heritage.
Against this highlights "the null contribution of the regional government in the work of research and preservation."
Therefore, he asked the regional government to contribute and do not let this international reference to knowledge of Peninsular Prehistory.
Joaquín López recalled that FITUR has just concluded and the Region of Murcia has left a clear sample of the excellence of its tourism potential in several aspects.
"Part of that wealth is La Bastida, which is history, tourism and employment for Totana and our Region, so the Government must bet in a determined manner."
In this line, he considered essential to approve a Strategy for coordination, organization and financing, to ensure the full excavation of the site, research and its musealization.
City Council of Totana
For its part, the mayor of Totana Andrés García Cánovas said that the City is making an effort "beyond their means" and is collaborating with the monitoring of the deposit, which accounts for more than 100,000 euros per year and is also responsible for cleaning and maintenance, among other issues.
García Cánovas pointed out that the problem that has been presented to them is having to co-finance the payment of the stay for three months by the archaeologists of the Autonomous University of Catalonia.
"We are seeing possibilities with the municipal budget to deal with these expenses, but we have very complicated with a budget extended from 2017 and recently approved."
Andrés García has asked the Socialist Parliamentary Group to lend a hand in this matter so that the regional government provides solutions and budget to continue excavating in La Bastida.
