Basque Government calls for ruling out hatred and resentment in politics in favour of democratic coexistence

• The Basque Government is concerned about the incidents of hatred and bitterness that have been taking place in recent days against those who think differently and directly threaten the peaceful and democratic coexistence of citizens

The spokesperson for the Basque Government and Minister of Culture and Linguistic Policy, Bingen Zupiria, has appeared at the usual press conference after the Governing Council meeting.

The Basque Government spokesman referred to the judicial movements and mobilizations that have been taking place in recent days. The spokesman pointed out that the Basque Government is concerned about the consequences of the politicization of justice and the messages that incite hatred and resentment against people who think differently, because all this has a direct impact on democratic coexistence. That is why the Basque Government has made an appeal to rule out hatred and resentment in politics in favour of coexistence.

As for the points approved in the Governing Council, first of all he referred to the aid to meet the humanitarian needs of Gaza, and, as announced after the Governing Council of October 27, today the Governing Council has approved such aid amounting to 500,000 euros. The Government is thus responding to the emergency appeal launched by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for funds to meet the humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza. The objective of this contribution from the Basque Country is to contribute economic resources to cover the immediate needs of food, hygiene articles, medicines and health care, as well as to protect the refugees or internally displaced persons who are in the centres of this UN Agency in Gaza.

AGREEMENTS OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL

As usual, the spokesperson, Bingen Zupiria, provided information on other issues discussed in the Governing Council meeting.

The Basque Government has agreed to support the work of professional and business associations in the agricultural and food sectors in the Basque Country with an allocation of 350,000 euros within the ELKARTEAK aid programme, which are intended to finance studies and training activities, fairs and expenses arising from these associations’ operations. As explained by Zupiria, the Government considers that these professional and business entities, which represent the interests of the agricultural and food sectors in the Basque Country, are essential in order to promote the entire value chain and the sub-sectors included in these economic activities.

The spokesman also explained that Ihobe and the eLankidetza agency will promote cooperation actions through the implementation of a protocol for development in the fields of environment and sustainability that has been approved today. Both institutions have agreed on the same purpose of guaranteeing the universal right of all people to a healthy and safe environment, for which they will implement a series of joint actions, especially in the areas of climate change, biodiversity ecosystem conservation. These objectives are aligned with Agenda 2030 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Likewise, the Government has today agreed to a contribution of 40 million euros to the Finkatuz Fund, managed by the Basque Finance Institute, which now amounts to 300 million euros in capital. The Finkatuz Fund, which was launched in 2021, aims to participate in the capital of large companies in the Basque Country in order to ensure that these companies maintain their roots in the Basque Country and act as a driving force for the Basque productive fabric as a whole. To date, Finkatuz has taken stakes in three companies: ITP Aero, CAF and Kaiku, with an investment of 104 million euros.

In other news, the Government has today approved a new decree with the aim of regulating a general and common regime for dialogue on the services of the catalogue of benefits and services of the Basque Social Services System. This Decree establishes the appropriate way to articulate, in a stable way and with quality services, the participation of the private initiative in the Basque Social Services System, which is defined as a system of public responsibility integrated by benefits, equipment and services of public and private ownership.

Finally, the Basque Government, through the Department of Education, has approved the allocation of 2.7 million euros to subsidise language reinforcement programs in subsidised centres for the 2023-2024 academic year. These programmes are aimed at students who have recently arrived in our educational system and who, with significant communication difficulties due to their lack of knowledge of the official languages of the Basque Country, need a linguistic reinforcement plan.