Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country

The spokeswoman for the Basque Government, Maria Ubarretxena, has announced that the central and Basque governments will sign on Friday the transfer to the Basque Country of five other competences of the 1979 Gernika Autonomy Statute, including unemployment benefits and non-contributory social security benefits.

Maria Ubarretxena, Counsellor for Governance, Digital Administration and Self-Government and spokesperson for the Basque Government, has recalled that there are still issues to be negotiated, but has stressed that they cannot always be working against the clock. "We ask for seriousness and another way to start negotiations," added Ubarretxena.

The spokeswoman for the Basque Government, Maria Ubarretxena, has confirmed that the meeting will take place tomorrow at 10.30 a.m. in Madrid, after two days of contacts with the Spanish Government.

Interviewed today on Radio Euskadi, the former councillor of the Basque Government has said that he hopes that the negotiations on transfers will continue and has assured us that this is not a matter of 'haste', since the Gernika Statute is an 'binding' organic law, which is already 45 years old.

Today, January 15, 2026, the Government will decide whether the conditions for attending tomorrow's meeting of the Joint Transfer Commission are in place; the doctors in Osakidetza will have a second day of strike, after yesterday's, to demand their own status; and the farmers and farmers in Hego Euskal Herria will make a tractor march towards Biriatu. 

The meeting with the Spanish Government is scheduled for Friday. The Lehendakari and Counsellor will first assess compliance with the "necessary guarantees" for the signing of the transfer. As EITB has been aware, there are "constant contacts to reach an agreement" and "progress" has been made.

The Socialist Councillor has not hesitated. The day after tomorrow the Joint Transfer Commission will meet after the agreement has been concluded in the next few hours.

Nerea Kortajarena, Member of Parliament of EH Bildu and Secretary of Programme, has stated in Euskadi Irratia that "at this point it is clear that the most powerful instrument we need to guarantee the well-being and rights of citizens would be a new political status".

That is why the spokeswoman and adviser for Governance, Digital Administration and Self-Government, Maria Ubarretxena, has asked the Spanish Government to be serious and to respect the institutional agreements signed in July between the two governments, and has indicated that the Basque Government is prepared to work 'until the last moment' and to put in place the 'hours necessary' to reach an agreement.

In addition to the five powers that should be exercised in the course of these weeks, the CSC has 15 other transfers recognised by the Statute of Autonomy. In order not to get lost in the confusion of competences, this is the updated list of outstanding transfers. 

"We will try to be optimistic, but we will not stand idly by," insisted Esteban, who stressed that if the transfers are not closed on Friday, the PNV's position on the Spanish Government "will not be the same." "The Spanish Government will immediately realize this," said the leader jeltzale.

Congressman Lander Martinez has valued "all the work" done between the two governments, which the PNV hopes to recognize. "I don't think the situation is serious enough to jeopardize a progressive coalition government, knowing what will come next," he said.

In an interview given to journalist Iñaki Guridi in the "Faktoria" programme of Euskadi Irratia , PSE-EE Secretary General Eneko Anduezahas been "very calm" about the controversy over the transfer of five competences between the Basque Government and the Spanish Government and has assured him that he has "no doubt that things will go well."

In statements to EiTB, Vice-President Ibone Bengoetxea explained that "it is a matter of political will" to conclude the agreement. If it does not exist, "we should make another reading and we would be in a different situation, politically and institutionally."

The Head of Self-Government, who has attended the Egun On session, has criticised the Spanish Government's position on transfers, since at the meetings they have had to hear that "we already have a lot" and that makes them angry. As far as the Euskera is concerned, he has stressed that they live with anguish "questioning the Euskera".

EH Bildu's Program Secretary and Spokesperson in the Basque Parliament, Nerea Kortajarena, has called for the challenge of updating the "political status" of the ACV and Navarre in 2026 to gain "sovereignty" and "ensure well-being." The coalition has refused to value the message of lehendakari Pradales because "this country has more than one lehendakari."

The spokesman for the Basque Government believes that the release for the first time of certain powers from State competence has raised concerns and raised obstacles that have not been on the table so far. He urges Pedro Sánchez to keep his word and warns that if changes of competence are not implemented in the 16, the Government will not sign anything. 

The Assembly was suspended on Friday on the grounds that the "minimum technical, economic and legal conditions" agreed in July had not been met.

Esteban said if the signing was not complied with, it would be "serious and in breach of the investiture agreement."

The spokesman for the Basque Government and Self-Government Adviser has warned that they would rather not transfer than have a 'bad transfer'. Ubarretxena has a meeting with Minister Elma Saiz this afternoon and hopes that the situation will recover.