The Basque and Spanish Governments have certified, after the meeting of the Joint Transfer Commission this Monday, the arrival to Euskadi of the three powers whose transfer was committed, according to the PNV-PSOE investiture agreement, for a period of three months and The PNV, in the midst of the electoral pre-campaign, is already focusing on the next phase of negotiation. The Jeltzales, in the mouth of their candidate, Imanol Pradales, prioritize the arrival of the management of the Basque ports and airports, pointing out as the first step the change of hands of the management of the Foronda airport of Alava.
In relation to Basque self-government, the investiture agreement between Jeltzales and Socialists establishes, first of all, that within three months from the signing of the agreement, the transfer of the management of several Cercanías lines still in the hands of Renfe had to be closed; the competence for the Homologation and declaration of equivalence of degrees and higher studies obtained abroad; and the change of hands of the Autonomy Phase of the reception system for beneficiaries of international protection.
Secondly, the agreement states that in two years all the powers included in the Statute of Gernika must be transferred, including the economic management of Social Security. And thirdly, it points out that within a year and a half from the signing of the pact, a new Statute will be negotiated “in good faith” that could include “the national recognition of Euskadi, the safeguarding of Basque competencies and a system of guarantees.” based on bilaterality.”
With the holding of the Joint Transfer Commission this Monday, the first section was practically closed, so the jeltzales open the second drawer. And they do it, furthermore, in the middle of the electoral campaign and with the help of their candidate for lehendakari.
“We have to continue taking steps to improve self-government because it means improving the well-being of Basque citizens. New steps thanks to the impulse and insistence of the PNV. Therefore, we have to address the next phase of negotiation in the coming months, which will be very important to advance in terms of quality of life. The management of ports and airports is important, directly managing airports like Foronda, so relevant for our economy, our connectivity and for the well-being of this country and Araba,” Imanol Pradales said yesterday.
The choice of these competencies is not accidental; they are areas that are easily recognizable to citizens and whose change of hands could lead to identifiable improvements. The Jeltzales also delve into their discourse of linking the deepening of self-government with the improvement of the quality of life and influence the prioritization of an infrastructure located in Álava, a key territory in the electoral struggle with EH Bildu. Not in vain, the Basque electoral system is not proportional, but 25 seats are distributed for each constituency.
In this way, the jeltzales position themselves before the Basque citizens in a relevant area such as the defense of Basque self-government and they score a goal at a crucial moment, less than six weeks before the elections.
This situation has been possible thanks to the fact that, unlike during the last legislature, the central government is complying, at least for the moment, with the commitments included in the investiture agreement. In any case, the second section of the investiture pact relating to self-government, which is already being addressed, includes full compliance with the Statute of Gernika and will require the transfer of around twenty powers in less than two years, an objective that seems much more complicated than what has been so far. An example to gauge this difficulty is the fact that since Pedro Sánchez came to power, in the spring of 2018, 14 powers have been transferred in almost six years. Likewise, the negotiation of a new framework of self-government, an eternal promise that has not yet come to fruition, does not suggest a simple path.
