The Department of Safety and Security budget will increase by 6.4% by 2026 to EUR 850 million
The Basque Government's Department of Security will have a budget of EUR 850 millionin 2026, an increase of 6.4% over the previous year, as announced by Counsellor Bingen Zupiria at a hearing before the Basque Country's General Budget Committee.
Zupiria, accompanied by Deputy Security Officer Ricardo Ituarte and Economic Management Director Miriam Anitua, has explained that next year's accounts will focus on three axes: modernizing the public security service, obtaining new resources and strengthening the Ertzaintza, the Arkaute Academy, Euskalmet and Cybersurveillance.
"The budget of the Department of Safety and Security will strengthen our public service and security model," stressed the counsellor, who has set herself the main objective of ensuring the freedom and tranquillity of citizens and contributing to the consolidation of the community and the prestige of the Basque Country.
Among the main investments envisaged, the Department will allocate a number of items to update computer, telecommunications and interoperability systems and to renovate the materials of the Ertzaintza and meteorological services.
The plan includes projects such as the improvement of the communications network (WAN MPLS), the development of the Guardasola project, the renewal of the telephone network and the implementation of the new New Trunk Network system, which will enable multimedia mobility communications.
The Ertzaintza will have new investments in the renewal of its fleet of vehicles (13 million euros), the purchase of drones and ethylometers, and the improvement of buildings and police stations. In addition, the Department plans to make progress on the Employment Plan agreed with the unions to have 8,000 agents by 2030.
The Basque Academy of Police and Emergencies will increase its budget to EUR 28 million, 19% more, to cope with student growth and modernise training platforms.
Cybersurveillance, for its part, will have EUR 6.4 million, 25.8% more than in 2025, to strengthen the detection of cyberthreats and the response to incidents affecting the Basque public sector.
In the area of equality, the Department of Safety and Security will allocate €34.6 million to the protection of women victims of male violence, the updating of the EBA system and the establishment of a new unit of the Ertzaintza specializing in violence against women.
Zupiria has reiterated that investing in public security is an "indispensable decision" to respond to current risks and threats and "to ensure an effective, modern and close service to citizens."
Political debate on changing views on crime
EH Bildu's spokesman, Gorka Ortiz de Guinea, stated that "since the summer" they have begun to perceive change, which he considers "negative for Basque society" because the government "is taking steps to get closer to the PP and Vox" even if "it is not the same."
In his reply, Bingen Zupiria acknowledged that there has been an evolution in his personal perception of some issues related to crime. "I won't deny it because I've changed some of my perceptions too. Things have happened that I didn't expect and that has led me to make speeches that I didn't want to make," he admitted.
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