The government is creating 297 new subsidised housing units and 84 flats for young people.

The Basque Government is promoting the development of 297 new subsidised housing units for affordable rent in Zabalgana and Larrein and has given the green light to the 84 housing units in Riberas de Loiola.

The Basque Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Denis Itxaso, has revealed that his department will sign agreements with Torgiko Alde 21 S.L.U. and Mijusar S.L. to build 120 and 177 subsidised housing units, respectively, in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

At least 50% of the units will be allocated to individuals with an income ranging from 21,000 to 30,000 euros.

Interested individuals must be registered in the housing applicants register (Etxebide), where they can access information on active developments and complete their registration through the Basque Government’s Zuzenean portal or the Basque Public Administration digital services.

"These initiatives, with a total of over 13 million euros in subsidies, strengthen the commitment to affordable rental housing and sustainable urban development in Álava’s capital.”

Denis Itxaso emphasised that both developments will be designated for affordable rentals for a minimum period of 50 years, with financial support of 45,000 euros per housing unit. Additionally, extra incentives will be offered to those who continue to maintain the properties under this scheme after the mandatory period ends, encouraging the sustainability of this model.

The Councillor also announced that the Basque Government has approved an addendum to the agreement with the Donostia-San Sebastián City Council, under which the council has committed to transferring the Riberas de Loyola plot.

The goal is for the Department of Housing and Urban Development to construct 84 housing units for young people, available on a rotational rental basis.

Partial retirement of permanent staff

The Basque Government has also approved today the proposal from the General Negotiating Committee of the Administration regarding the partial retirement of permanent staff in the Basque Country for the year 2025.

According to the spokesperson for Governance, Digital Services and Local Government, an estimated 633 employees are eligible for this measure based on their age.

The plan will be in effect for three and a half years, concluding when the staff reaches the standard retirement age. It has an estimated cost of 18,702,198 euros.

The Agreement, approved today by the Governing Council, was signed by representatives of the Confederación Sindical de Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) [Trades Union Congress] and UGT trade unions during the last General Assembly meeting.

They will be eligible for the early retirement scheme:

• the General Administration and its Autonomous Bodies staff;
• the teaching and education staff of the Department of Education;
• the Department of Education staff;
• the Religion staff of the Department of Education;
• the Department of Safety and Security staff, and
• the Osakidetza-Basque Health Service staff.

Reduction of temporary employment in Osakidetza

The Basque Minister of Health, Alberto Martínez, has outlined the status of public job offers (OPEs) in Osakidetza and detailed the measures planned to reduce temporary employment in 2025. In this regard, he stated that 11,057 Osakidetza positions will be allocated in March, marking the largest offer in its history and reducing the temporary employment rate to 10.72%.

He also announced new public job offers (OPEs), including a special recruitment process in the first half of this year for hard-to-fill positions, such as family doctors and paediatricians in primary care, as well as psychiatrists in outpatient care. Additionally, the upcoming OPEs for 2023-2025 will offer more than 4,000 vacancies, aiming to reduce the vacancy rate to approximately 8.5%.

Finally, he explained that they are working on a new model for public employment contracts, which will be more agile and with simpler processes. This will be negotiated at the sectoral round table.

Coastal management and film fund

The Governing Council has approved the inclusion of the items relating to Coastal Planning and Management and the Cinematography Fund in the 2025 budget. Just over 2 million euros will be allocated to the 2025 budget.

The Basque Country will be able to make faster and more efficient decisions on all infrastructure and economic, cultural, environmental, energy, and other projects affecting the Basque coastline thanks to its competence in coastal planning and management.

The Cinematographic and Audiovisual Activity will empower the Basque Country to manage aid for audiovisual development, to develop audiovisual literacy policies (promotion of cinemas) and to manage aid for producing, distributing and exhibiting audiovisual works in Basque.

Food Health Control Convention.

The Governing Council also approved a collaboration agreement with the Spanish government to enhance and coordinate the sanitary analysis of agri-food products and production methods.

This agreement, according to the Government Spokesperson, will allow the two institutions to work together. It is the responsibility of both parties to carry out the official analyses of samples requested by the other party. They will also provide mutual advice and collaborate to implement winemaking processes and control fraud in agri-food products.

The Basque Government will be able to carry out debt operations by 2025

The Governing Council has approved the issuance of public debt and authorised loan operations for a maximum amount of 1,284,992,934 euros, in accordance with the Law on the General Budgets of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country for the 2025 financial year. The funds generated from these borrowing operations will be used to finance the General Budget for the current year.