Sánchez's gesture to the PNV: he accepts that the Basque Country participates in the management of airports
The Spanish president agrees with the lehendakari on the creation of a bilateral body for "collaboration, coordination, and management"
MadridThe same morning that his loyal aide since the beginning of the legislature –María Jesús Montero– handed over the baton to his successor –Carlos Cuerpo–, Pedro Sánchez met with Imanol Pradales to satisfy the demands that the PNB has been making for some time and to inject some oxygen into the legislature through advances in the Gernika Statute. "As you know, the Statute is still not fully implemented. There is a political agreement, we have insisted on the need to do so quickly," the lehendakari stated upon leaving. The meeting, accompanied by a new meeting of the State-Euskadi Bilateral Cooperation Commission, comes exactly two months after the last meeting and fulfills the requirement to be held before Easter. On that occasion, despite having achieved the transfer of five competencies, Pradales left frustrated by the Spanish government's "breaches." But now he returns to Bilbao "reasonably satisfied" after having signed a "political agreement" for the transfer of seven new matters. Pending, among other things, is the transfer of pensions. The most substantial aspect is that the door has been opened for the Basque Country to participate in airport management "for the first time in history".
"Until today, Euskadi had neither a voice nor a vote in airport matters, and from today it will be able to begin to participate in decision-making that affects Basque airports," celebrated Imanol Pradales. This will materialize in the creation of a bilateral body for "collaboration, coordination, and management" of the three Basque airports, which will allow for "improvement and boosting" the capabilities of these infrastructures, "influencing" investments and the "plans that define them," and "improving" the connectivity and services of the airports. However, Imanol Pradales avoided giving further details: "We will get into the details when the body is up and running," he justified. Subsequently, the Minister of Territorial Policy, Ángel Víctor Torres, limited himself to boasting that the agreement will allow for "strategic cooperation." He also did not detail how it would translate. "Institutional dialogue works, cooperation translates into concrete progress, and a model based on loyalty is being built," he asserted.
The lehendakari's conquest echoes in Catalonia. Two years ago, the agreement between the PSC and ERC for the investiture of Salvador Illa included taking steps forward so that the Generalitat could "influence the key and strategic aspects" of El Prat Airport. It is a commitment that goes in the same line as what the Basque government has now achieved. This was to be concreted in the creation of an Airport Authority of Catalonia through which the Catalan government could channel its policies and have "integral governance" of the airport system. The executive council approved the creation of the body at the beginning of the year, but it has not yet materialized. And now the independentists will surely demand to accelerate it.
In this whole context, Aena, the Spanish airport operator, which has never looked favorably on the transfer of airport management to the State, will want to say something. "It would be null," affirmed again the president of Aena, Maurici Lucena, just two months ago, despite the fact that the company has 51% of its share capital in the hands of the State, reportsNúria Rius.
Six more competencies
Of the other transfers agreed upon by Moncloa and Euskadi this Friday, three stand out. As explained by Imanol Pradales, Euskadi will acquire the functions of "surveillance, inspection, and control" in inland and external waters – in commercial and recreational fishing – and gains competencies in medical examination centers for driving licenses and in road safety re-education centers. Furthermore, progress will be made in "cooperation" in private security services so that Euskadi can "increase" its training and licensing capabilities.
On the other hand, a "financial cooperation framework" has been agreed upon between the Official Credit Institute (ICO) and the Basque Institute of Finance, and "joint actions" will be promoted to support the development of industrial and business projects for small and medium-sized industrial enterprises. Finally, the management of subsidies for the contracting of combined agricultural insurance will be transferred to the Basque Country.