The Spanish Congress approves a law guaranteeing multilingualism in the institutions
The initiative to amend 15 State laws shall make it possible to validate texts in Basque, Catalan or Galician without the need for translation.
Stock image of a plenary session of the Congress. Photo: EFE
On Tuesday, the plenary of the Spanish Congress approved, with the votes of the PSOE, Junts and all the groups that have put forward the proposal for an Organic Law to guarantee multilingualism before theinstitutions of the State, and the rejection of the PP, Vox and UPN.
The initiative , presented by 24 deputies from ERC, EH Bildu, PNV, Sintre, BNG and Lukashenko, proposes to amend various laws to give full validity and effectiveness to the official languages throughout the territory of the State, especially in the institutions of the State.
ERC MP Francesc-Marc Alvaro Vidal has presented the decision and explained that the principle of equality enshrined in the Constitution is intended to be "more real and tangible" so that speakers who use Catalan, Basque and Galician will no longer be "second-class citizens" before the central administration.
This rule therefore seeks to guarantee the real right of citizens to interact with the central administration in any official language.
It proposes, inter alia, the full adaptation of administrative procedures and digital platforms to all languages or the introduction of cross-cutting linguistic criteria in public procurement.
In his speech, the ERC MP has denounced the 'systematic relegation' of the co-official languages practised by PP governments in some communities, forced by agreements with 'Vox ultras'.
Despite the veto on all government legislative initiatives, Junts has voted yes to the initiative, but has questioned whether the PSOE will facilitate its processing.
If it goes ahead, JuntsMP Pilar Calvo has explained, she will rectify, because her party has always argued that the Catalan language does not need the state to guarantee anything, but to "stop drowning" and recognize Catalonia's "absolute sovereignty."
The SocialistMember, Marc Lamua, for his part, has stated that the Constitution not only recognizes linguistic diversity, but is a 'mandate' and that, therefore, ensuring that every citizen interacts with the State in his official language is a 'constitutional' legality and institutional 'respect'.
onthe part of the PNV, Congressman Joseba Aguirretxea has stressed that this law "is about rights, freedom and respect" and is a response to "an historic claim".
While EH Bildu's spokeswoman, Mertxe Aizpurua, has said that this proposal balances the "asymmetry" between Spanish and Basque and has advocated increasing the legal protection of the Basque Country, she has criticized the "lukewarm" attitude of the PSOE, which is in favour of the Basque Country in Madrid but which "weakens" it in the ACV.
The PPhas voted against, and Congresswoman Marta Gonzalez Vázquez has accused Congress of ceasing to be the "legislative heart" of Spain and of becoming a "laboratory" that tests all formulas to please members of the government and win "days or hours" by Pedro Sánchez.
Voxalso voted against, and MP Jorge Campos Asensi said that the proposal is' unconstitutional 'and aims to' destroy Spanish as the official and common language of all Spaniards'.
You might like
The Basque Parliament supports the maximum dissemination of EITB audiovisual content in Basque
This is an amendment by the PNV and the PSE-EE, after EH Bildu rejected a proposal by EITB for the free transfer of audio content and subtitles in Euskera to international streaming platforms. Contact with international platforms and operators will also be encouraged.
?fmt=webp-alpha&qlt=80)
Mayors of Errenteria, Lezo and Pasaia call for the transfer of port powers and a new model of governance
They stressed that the port of Pasaia "plays a strategic role in the Basque economy" and called for port areas to be "available to companies promoting innovative activities and new jobs".
The PP again sends a message to jeltzales after the search of Tubos Reunion: "The PNV will have to explain"
Following the search carried out bythe Civil Guard at the headquarters of Tubos Reunidos, the People's Party has once again looked to the PNV to ask it to clarify its position on corruption. The Deputy Secretary of Sectoral Coordination of the PP, Alma Ezcurra, has said that after one of the leading companies in the Basque Country has been punctuated by corruption, the jeltzales must give their opinion and explain to the citizens.
David Sanchez denies influencing hiring: "I have no power to do so."
During the trial in the Badajoz Provincial High Court, David Sánchez, brother of the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, denied having influenced the recruitment, not in the position he obtained as coordinator of the Badajoz Conservatory, not even when his friend Luis Carrero was assigned the .
Esteban and Andueza downplay the differences between the two and praise the unity of the government
Despite the differences, the leaders of the two coalition parties in the main Basque institutions have stressed that they work together to "take this country forward."
UCO searches the headquarters of Tubos Reunion in Bilbao
The register is part of a confidential piece of the so-called 'Leire case', which is being prepared by order of the judge of the Audiencia Nacional Santiago Pedraz.
UCO cites PSOE as the "origin" of all payments for Leire Díez's network
In the report, agents of the Central Operational Unit of the Civil Guard detail some of the alleged payments and give several examples.
The Spanish Government has initiated the procedures for submitting the 2027 budgets
The head of the Spanish Government has called for "generosity, responsibility and commitment" to dialogue from the groups in Congress and has particularly addressed the independence and nationalist parties in the Basque Country and Catalonia.
The Paris Court of Appeal has ordered the surrender of Josu Urrutikoetxea to the Spanish authorities
According to judicial sources, the surrender of the former ETA leader "will not take place until the French proceedings under way have been completed" and is not a final decision, since an appeal in cassation may be lodged.
PSN, EH Bildu and Geroa Bai conclude that there was no corruption in the award of public works in Navarre
For UPN, however, the committee of inquiry set up in the Foral Parliament has made it even more apparent that there is evidence of corruption. All the groups have presented their conclusions today.