The Basque Country takes on three new responsibilities:
- The Government has granted authorisation for the definitive integration of Onkologikoa into Osakidetza
- The decree regulating aid for orphaned children of victims of gender-based violence has been approved.
The Governing Council held its usual weekly meeting this morning, chaired by President of the Basque Country Iñigo Urkullu. At today's meeting, the Council approved, among other matters, the draft decrees certifying the transfer of functions and services to the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country in the areas of suburban railways, recognition and equalisation of foreign university degrees and the system for the reception of beneficiaries of international protection in their personal autonomy phase. Following the approval of the three decrees ratifying the agreements of the Joint State-Autonomous Community of the Basque Country Transfer Commission, all that remains for them to enter into force is their publication in the Official Gazette of the Basque Country.
Likewise, the Governing Council has authorised the signing of the agreement that articulates the definitive integration of the Onkologikoa Foundation into the Basque Health Service, Osakidetza. This completes a process that began in 1988, when the Basque Health Service took over the agreement with the Oncology Institute, which has been followed by new agreements signed with the Department of Health to regulate the contracting of oncology services for Osakidetza patients. Along these lines, reflected in the Health Plan, the Department of Health developed the Basque Oncology Plan 2018-2023. This is a plan that defines a care model, with a multidisciplinary approach, a humanised treatment that meets the global needs of patients, as well as reducing diagnosis times and concentrating the most complex interventions in leading units that allow the necessary experience to be gathered.
On the other hand, the Government has approved the decree that regulates the economic aid for the minor children of orphans of victims of gender violence and which implements the Law for Equality of Women and Men and lives free of gender-based violence against women. This new aid is based on the recognition of these orphaned minors as direct victims of violence against women and, in addition to contributing to the reparation of the damage, allows for compliance with the obligation to reinforce support and assistance to the children of fatal victims due to their special situation of vulnerability. This is an annual allowance that will be paid until the age of 18 or until the age of 25 in the case of descendants who are studying or are dependent and/or have a disability. The decree provides for retroactive reparations for children whose mothers were killed between 2003 and the entry into force of the decree.
Another order has been approved by which aid for the processing, marketing and development of agricultural and food products and those derived from fishing and aquaculture is announced for the 2024-2025 financial year (LEHIATU INVERSION Programme). The programme has an annual budget of approximately 17 million euros and is aimed at industries in the Basque Food and Forestry Chain. Its objective is to optimise product transformation processes and expand marketing activities through an investment programme that may be annual or multiannual.
To facilitate the learning and use of the Basque language, the Government has approved subsidies of 3.7 million euros to fund the provision of free Basque language tuition and has allocated 1.7 million euros to the "Euskalgintza" programme, which is designed to promote, develop and normalise the Basque language within society. Finally, in relation to commercial activity in the Basque Country, the Government has allotted 4 million euros in aid for the modernisation of commercial establishments and services related to commercial activity in the Basque Country and 2,000,000 euros for the stimulation and effectiveness of commercial activity in the Basque Country.
