FROM THE WORLD TO THE BASQUE COUNTRY
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2007/XI/09
THE BASQUE SELF-GOVERNING REGION PRESIDENT PROPOSAL: THE DISTRUST IT CAUSES (and II)
Independentzia eta Sozialismorantz
EUSKAL HERRIA, STEP by STEP
ASKAPENA's Information Service, Nº 196
In this second part we will show the content of President Ibarretxe's "road map", its timing and the reasons of this new fraud, by PNV and PSOE, in the resolution of the conflict between French and Spanish states with Euskal Herria, the Basque Country.
Content and timingAccording the driving forces behind this proposal, the aim of this initiative is to reach an agreement of free-adhesion to a coexistence agreement with the Spanish state. This agreement would be included in the Spanish Constitution (there fore, the Constitution should be modified), and would guarantee a free and harmonious fit of the Basque Country into Spain. Spain also would recognize that the Basque people is a political subject that has the right to decide.
This is the planned timing of the process:
* Offer of a Political Agreement to the Spanish government President (from October 16, 2007)
* Plenary Session in the Basque Parliament (June 2008) either to endorse the Political Agreement with the Spanish state, ant to approve a legally binding plebiscite to endorse it; or to endorse a plebiscite that would open a resolution process.
* Plebiscite (October 25, 2008) to endorse the Political Agreement with the State, or plebiscite to open a resolution process.
* Negotiation process and referendum during the second semester of 2010.
This proposal arise many questions: Why is it assumed that the Basque people wants to harmonious fit into the Spanish state? Why do President Ibarretxe assume that he is the only interlocutor of the Basque people? Where are then the rest of the political forces that do not belong to the tripartite government, buy they do belong to the Basque society? The Basque people that live in Nafarroa, who belong to the Basque people but they do not belong to the ongoing administrative division of the Basque Self-governing region, they would be able to participate in this process? The plebiscite would be a binding one, or just an opinion consultation legally null and void? In case the Spanish state said no again, but the Basque society approves the plebiscite in favor of its sovereignty, how far would go President Ibarretxe in the confrontation with the Spanish? He would open a breaking-off process with the state, or he would yield to the State?
Right now there are too many question and few answers. This process seems to be very difficult to control, and unpredictable. There are too many factors that would be determining. On October 16 Zapatero and Ibarretxe met in Madrid. As it was foreseen, both pretended to disagree, but we know that it was just the introduction of a screenplay that is only known by the both of them. And we distrust this screenplay a great deal.
The reasons for distrusting* PNV's history. They are the heir to the 'jauntxos' ("Lord"), the Basque bourgeoisie who already many years ago turned their back to the people's, interests and allied themselves with the Spanish crown. Even though this party proclaim themselves the defender of their country, they neither believe it nor work to build it: first is the party, and then, only then, the people.
During the years of the transition, they have applied this policy of alliances. Their understanding with the Spanish state as well as the administration of the piece of self-governing regions that the Spanish state gave to them as a "gift" have been very profitable for them. The PNV has been the main beneficiary of the reform designed by the Franco regime: they have administrated, and they are administrating most of the institutions of 3 out of the 7 Basque provinces. This allow them to administrate a big amount of money and firms that depend on these institutions; they also practice nepotism in benefit of friends and relatives. The man who was the leader of this party for many years, Arzallus, said: "ETA shake the walnut tree, and we pick the walnuts".
This policy of alliances is now the key strategy of PNV. They have agree with the Spanish state the construction of macro-structures as the high speed train, a mutual support to approve the self-governing region budget as well as the Spanish one, the validity of the Parties Law and its implementation in the Basque Country, the support to the policy of dispersion of the Basque political prisoners....Is it possible to believe a party supporting a policy of alliances with the Spanish state when this party announces that they will open a process of confrontation with the Spanish state?
The Basque left are not the only ones to mistrust. The trade union ELA (the main trade union in this south part of the Basque country, with many member who also belong to PNV) was very clear in their statement made on October 10: " Ibarretxe's proposal is not coherent with their day to day govern. It is a trip to nowhere, it repeats the same promise of broken commitments. It only aims to guarantee themselves that they will keep on administrating the Basque self-governing region".
* There were several "road maps" before this one, and they also meant broken commitments. On July 2002, Ibarretxe solemnly announced that he would assume unilaterally the competences that Madrid was refusing. He never kept this "promise-threat". On December 2004, the Basque Parliament approved by absolute majority a similar propose of an alliance with the Spanish state . He also announced that he would defend this proposal before the Spanish Parliament, and that even if it would no approve it, he would call a plebiscite. The Spanish Parliament did not approve it, and Ibarretxe did not kept his promise. Instead of it, he called an anticipate election hoping to win it.
* PNV has not a democratic background. They boast of giving the word to the people, but the experience is different. As a right wing party they are, they try to silence people's voice: holding the posts of the city councils that do not belong to them, opposing the city council's consultation about the high speed train ...Every day they repress the people implementing the Spanish legislation, that they said they criticize, but that they obsequiously obey.
* PNV have short term interests they do no recognize but that undoubtedly are behind their proposal: They need to unite a party that now is not unite, they need to recover the popular support lost in the past elections. And, as usual, they need to take advantage of the prosecution the Basque left is suffering, because PNV aspires to eliminate the Basque left. This is an old aspiration of PNV, and every time they have the opportunity they try to do so.
Euskal Herria, November 6, 2007.
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