The Basque Government approves aid of 200 euros a month for families with children under 3 years of age

• Aware of the management burden that channelling this aid will entail, the work team has been expanded with more than 60 people dedicated to dealing with applications
• The Governing Council approves the “Draft Law on Fire Prevention, Extinguishing and Rescue Services” in the Basque Country

The spokesperson for the Basque Government and Minister for Culture and Language Policy, Bingen Zupiria, appeared at the usual press conference after the Governing Council, together with the First Vice-Lehendakari and Minister for Security, Josu Erkoreka, who announced the Basque Country’s “Draft Law on Fire Prevention, Extinguishing and Rescue Services” approved today by the Governing Council; a law that regulates one of the basic services of the Basque emergency and civil protection system. According to Josu Erkoreka, the draft law includes, for the first time in a specific regulation, corrective measures for the current under-representation of women on the police force, the same as those already established for the Ertzaintza and local police forces in the Basque Country in the Basque Police Act.

For his part, the government spokesperson informed that the government has approved an allocation of 110 million euros this year for families with children under the age of three to receive 2,400 euros per year per child. This aid can be added to the tax deductions and other types of measures already being promoted, such as free Haurreskolak or aid for work-life balance. Bingen Zupiria stressed that with this measure, the Government seeks to facilitate parenting and create the conditions for Basque families to be able to make the decision to have the offspring of their choice under better economic conditions. 

Aware of the management burden that channelling this aid will entail, the work team has been increased with more than 60 people dedicated to dealing with applications and communication lines have been set up, such as a specific telephone number (945-062 040), an e-mail address, umeak@euskadi.eus, to deal with queries and there is a section on the website, which can be found at euskadi.eus/ayudasmensuales, with answers to the most common questions related to this new benefit.

The Basque Government estimates that, with this benefit, which can be applied for from 1 March, more than 65,000 people will be entitled to receive the new monthly allowances for raising and supporting children.

SECURITY OF NIGHTLIFE VENUES

In the context of the increase in the use of bladed weapons and dangerous objects in nightlife, the Minister for Security explained that the Department is in contact with representatives of the hospitality industry in the three territories to respond to the alarm unleashed after the latest incidents.

Within the framework of the “Action Plan against the use of White Weapons and Dangerous Objects”, Erkoreka pointed out that it has been decided that the leisure establishments should be analysed on an individual basis, given that the casuistry is very heterogeneous and the aim is to avoid generalised measures that could be counterproductive for establishments in which nightlife takes place without any type of problem or incident. “We have decided to act on a case-by-case basis. We are already analysing the security of each nightlife venue and its surroundings so that we can give a concrete and limited response to the magnitude of the problem in each place,” he said. 

AGREEMENTS OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL

As usual, the spokesperson, Bingen Zupiria, provided information on the agreements of the Governing Council, including the following:

The Governing Council has approved the reservation of a loan for the Department of Equality, Justice and Social Policies to begin the process of purchasing the former Telefónica property at Calle Buenos Aires, 10, Bilbao. According to the spokesman, the department’s intention is to incorporate the building into the judicial equipment of the Biscayan capital as the future headquarters of the Basque Institute of Legal Medicine, bringing together in a single space the different services such as the Forensic Anatomical Institute, the laboratories and the offices of the Institute itself, as well as the Forensic Unit of Integral Review and the Forensic Medical Clinic. The sale operation is worth around 15 million euros and will mean the incorporation of more than 5,000 square metres, divided into a basement and five floors, into the Bilbao judicial facilities.

In the cultural field, the Governing Council today approved the call for programmes and activities for training, development or exhibition aimed at promoting the performing arts (theatre, dance and circus) to be carried out during the financial year 2023. In total, 825,000 euros will be distributed through these grants. Thanks to last year’s call, the Department of Culture and Language Policy supported 155 performing arts projects.