European elected representatives ratify their support to a democratic resolution

19/06/07
The Gernika Network for the Self-determination, conformed by elect representatives of all Europe in defence of the free-determination right for the Basque Country, made a public declaration remembering the political character of the conflict that confronts the Basque Country with the Spanish and French states and, renew their commitment to work towards a democratic resolution. They, also, denounce the imprisonment of Arnaldo Otegi as an element that "hinders dialogue". "The Spanish State should, once and for all, end all repressive measures and to act with responsibility in a dialogue that will resolve the existing conflict".

They, also, believe that the end of ETA's cease-fire "demonstrates that, unfortunately, from 22nd March 2006 there has been no dialogue process to resolve the roots of the conflict: territoriality and the right of self-determination".

"The creation of a peace process is not possible when these fundamental rights, that are the roots of the conflict, are denied".

As a conclusion, they summoned "our colleagues, parliamentarians and elect representatives of all Europe, to add to our network in order to promote a democratic process of peace that resolves the existing conflict in the Basque Country". And, as emphasize in their manifesto, "we are convinced that by building peace in the Basque Country we also contributed in the creation of peace in Europe".

Otegi insists that dialogue is the way forward and ANV calls to mobilize.

In the picture ANV supporters protest at council meeting in Ortuella (Bizkaia) as other hundreds did in many towns were ANV was declared illegal during the recent elections. They were asking the rest of parties to respect the results and give their seats back to ANV councillors.

Six elect representatives of the historical pro-independence left formation, among which they were the General council representative for Araba Aitor Bezares, and the head of list of Pasaia, Maider Ziganda, as well as Mayors of Bergara, Leitza, Goizueta, Ondarroa and Oiartzun described the present situation as of "maximum gravity".

In ANV's (Basque Nationalist Action, a seventy year old pro-independence party) opinion "they have not learned in all these years that the imprisonments and the repression cannot close the path that thousands and thousands of citizens are opening, we are opening, in this country". "They do not want to learn that democracy and peace are the two faces of the same cuoin, that solution and justice go hand by hand, and that the Basque Country and self-determination are the name and the surname of the solution". "The Basque pro-independence left's 719 elected representatives' main priority is and will be to boost the democratic process in all the institutions as well as to make sure those institutions are democratic and have a democratic funtioning, respecting the popular will".

Arnaldo Otegi made the same call to the dialogue from behind the walls of Martutene prison. Jone Goirizelaia, lawyer of Otegi, has insisted that "despite everything, the only way that exists is the Anoeta proposal".

Otegi wanted share with the Basque society that "it is time to take it easy and to do things not as the PSOE has done them, in the short term and with revenge in mind, but taking into account how we want the Basque Country to be in the future". It also mentioned that "it is necessary to continue bidding for daily work, dialogue, an agreement and so that in the end we can freely decide our future and that our decision is respected".

Jone Goirizelaia, lawyer of Arnaldo Otegi and member of the Basque pro-independence left, remembered that the processes against Otegi and other pro-independence militants "are against the freedom of expression right".

Government-ETA and Batasuna-PSOE negotiations in the middle of the electoral campaign.

Important delegations of Spanish Government and ETA, on the one hand, and of Batasuna and PSOE, on the other, met practically simultaneously in an European city the past 14 th, 15th and 16th. Encounter that, in all the cases, counted with presence of qualified international observers, in the last attempt to unblock the negotiation process, clogged months back, according to absolute reliable sources consulted by GARA.

These sources confirm that Batasuna's delegation was headed by Arnaldo Otegi, that was later suddenly jailed the end of the cease-fire.

The PSOE's position limited to raise the option of statutory reforms in the Basque Autonomous Community and the Leasehold Community of Navarre, with the maximum position in the possibility of being able to constitute an intergovernmental common organ between both.

The Basque delegations, on the other hand, insisted on the necessity to reach a commitment to overcome the conflict, and to stop its perpetuation. The permanent infringement of the guarantees and the principles of the process were also upon the table, especially in the ETA and the Government board. The armed organization, that was committed to dismantle its military structures if the process was culminated, insisted that the repressive mechanisms had to be deactivated to create a bilateral truce.

As Gara's information reveals, the Government fixed its priority on demanding that ETA explicitly resigned to the "response" right that the armed organization had incorporated to its permanent cease-fire. And refused to deactivate the judicial mechanisms, not even the euro-order or other arrest mechanisms, although it could take to as serious situations as the one that derived in the arrest of Jon Iurrebaso (who was accompanied of another Basque citizen in charge of his security) member of ETA's delegation.

After the contacts and meetings held in March and April between both parts did not go forward, ETA proposed to have a substantial international representation to guarantee the democratic process.

The 21 of May a new and last meeting took place between the PSOE and Batasuna, the Spanish representation did not move with respect to the political agreement, which ended the negotiations initiated after the truce declaration of 2006.

Few days later, ETA forwarded its decision to end the cease-fire, as had previously informed in the mentioned meetings.

Gara's information point out that ETA forwarded an initiative to have European states involved in the negotiations, later the armed organization proposed the constitution, in case the process was politically unblocked, of an international commission composed by those same instances to verify the development of the negotiation between ETA and the Spanish Government.

The two meetings proposal excluded the PNV for considering that the representatives of that party had become an obstacle in all the previous attempts.

The PSOE admitted that the PNV did not want to approach the proposal of four territories because it implied to lose economic power.

Repression: Since the cease-fire began the three main police forces of the south of the Basque Country –Ertzaintza, Spanish police and the Civil Guard

The French police have also arrested numerous Basque citizens both in the North of the Basque Country (under French occupation) as well as in France.

The Mexican authorities extradited the Basque citizen Andoni Aspiazu to the Spanish State and then he was imprisoned.

Bittor Tejedor was arrested the 1st of June in Vancouver. They impute him problems with its migratory documents and presumed relation with ETA.

The judge of the Spanish National Court Balthasar Garzón requested the French Gendarmerie to arrest Xabier Irastorza, Iñaki Telletxea and Markos Sagarzazu, residents in Hendaia and Donibane Lohizune, once the Court of Appeal of Pau informed the accused about the European order to be extradited, the three neighbours of Irun were jailed in the prison of Toulouse and will be soon sent to Spain's jails.

Batasuna Negotiating Commission's press conference

1- Beginning of the process

It is evident for this Commission, that the beginning of the democratic process and the creation of a real opportunity to overcome the political conflict through an agreement was possible for a long period of time thanks to the existence of a stable communication channel between representatives of the Basque pro-independence left and the PSOE (Spanish Labour Party).

This communication and exploration channel allowed both parts to understand that existed a real opportunity to overcome the political and armed confrontation and reach an agreed future democratic framework for the Basque Country.

PSOE and Batasuna understood from the beginning, that this agreed future had to be built on the one hand, from the respect to the Basque Country's plurality, and on the other from the overcoming of the structural problems that have fed the political conflict.

The beginning of the process was only possible thanks to the commitment acquired by the parts involved to understand that the political agenda for the change and peace had to be resolved by giving an agreed and democratic solution to both the territorial division problem (partition) as well as to the Basque Country's right to decide its future free and democratically, with no more limits than the free will expressed pacefully and democratically by its citizenship.

2- Development of the process

ETA's permanent truce announcement was the last link that allowed, on the base of the acquired commitments, acceding to a dialogue and negotiation scene between the Basque political forces.

It is evident nevertheless, that from the this cease-fire declaration the PSOE as the PNV have tried to denature the process, trying to transfer it to "antiterrorist" "technical" parameters that denied any political content to the dialogue process.

Meanwhile, the Basque pro-independence left has undergone and still undergoes constant police and judicial harassments which objective is to condition its political position in the negotiation being stopping it from maintaining its political and organizational activity in terms of equality with the rest of political forces.

We can affirm without being mistaken that the process is BLOCKED from the first three months after the cease-fire.

3- First initiative to break the deadlock

Having in mind the seriousness of the situation, the Basque pro-independence left forwards to the PSOE the urgent necessity to close a first political agreement (that will have to gather all the political, social and trade-union formations of the country) to settle a calendar for the beginning of the dialogue process of conversations and at the same time appraises its political agenda.

4 – Second initiative to break the deadlock

The Basque pro-independence left forwards to the PNV and the PSOE the necessity to close a commitment that will guarantee, with strategic nature, the definitive stability of the democratic process and the consequent overcoming of the conflict.

This initiative is developed during the autumn and has the following consequences:

a. – There are some movements on the method, calendar and some contents of the political agreement.

b. - No pre-agreement is reached on the commitment to guarantee a final scene in which to overcome both main knots of the conflict that will guarantee that all political projects can not only be defended but also materialized if that is the desire and the will of the Basque citizenship. THERE IS NO COMMITMENT TO GUARANTEE A FRAMEWORK THAT WILL ALLOW THE CITIZENSHIP TO FREE AND DEMOCARTICALLY DECIDE ITS POLITICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FUTURE. THE SITUATION IS BLOCKED.

5 – Third initiative to break the deadlock. The proposal.

The Basque pro-independence left perceiving that the blockade is around the lack of commitment on a final scene of equality of opportunities for the set of political projects, decides to put upon the table a proposal that will satisfy all the parts and that will draw a final scene agreed for the four territories of the South of the Basque Country.

This proposal tries to explore a common space where to encounter with the rest of political traditions existing in our country, and therefore:

- Takes off from the present political-institutional reality.

- Raises a staggered process in which each step must count on the democratic adhesion of the Basque-Navarrese citizenship.

- Raises a political status AUTONOMY.

- To start such proposal raises the necessity of democratic majorities both in the Basque Autonomous Community as well as in the Leasehold Community of Navarre.

- Brings up the regulation of mechanisms though which the Basque-Navarrese citizenship can decide its future free and democratically.

- Brings up the necessity of this process to be developed peacefully, without any kind of coercion or interference by any of the parts.

Our proposal obtained diverse answers:

- In one first stage the majority of political parties welcomed our proposal as "positive", "realist"…. The Basque pro-independence left was enormously satisfied by this considerations as if it believed that they were being honest, it was possible to reach a first agreement that approximated us to a future encounter scene. This consideration was still more important in that this agreement would also guaranteed a scene of just peace for the Basque Country.

- Unfortunately these first considerations were untrue and the parties mention tried to conceal the proposal, refuse its public discussion.

PNV (Basque Nationalist Party) AND PSOE SAYS NO TO THE PROPOSAL

Rejection that also worsen when was verified that both formation not only rejected this dialogue and this proposal but that consciously do not forward any other alternative to the negotiation table.

CURRENT SITUATION OF THE DIALOGUE PROCESS



- The present situation obeys clearly to the PNV and the PSOE's refusal to commit themselves with a political future that leaves into the hands of the Basque-Navarrese citizenship the word and the decision. This is the only and main reason that collapses the process from the beginning.



- When the political dialogue is reaching the necessary concretions that can turn it decisive, that is to say, in an agreement that brings the Basque Country into a peace scene, the PNV and the PSOE have abandoned the political dialogue dynamics.



- To refuse dialogue, to refuse the commitment towards a different future is simply to break with the possibility of reaching a decisive agreement to the political conflict. That is the great responsibility acquired today by the PSOE and the PNV.



COMMITMENTS TAKEN BY THE BASQUE PRO-INDEPENDENCE LEFT

- We want to reiterate that peace is today possible in the Basque Country.

- We want to reiterate the existence of a great opportunity to overcome the political and armed conflict that suffers our Country.

- We want to reiterate our total disposition in any circumstance or conjuncture to the dialogue, the negotiation and the Agreement.

- We want to announce that we will redouble our efforts (in the Basque Country as well as the international scope) to reconstruct the dialogue and the negotiation process with all the political forces of our country.

- We want to reiterate again that only from justice it is possible to construct a total scene of peace.

- We want to reiterate again that justice for the Basque Country means to understand that its future must depend only and exclusively on the citizens that live and work in the Basque-Navarrese territories.

EH Bai places the Basque pro-independence movement again in the electoral map

11/06/07

Legislative elections in the French state, EH Bai coalition that groups Batasuna, Abertzaleen Batasuna and EA.

With 10,781 votes and more than 8% of the votes, Euskal Herria Bai managed to become the fourth force of Ipar Euskal Herria (North of the Basque Country under French occupation), behind the great state parties - UMP (Sarkozy's Wright wing party), PS (French socialist party) and UDF-Modem (right centre party of Bayrou).

Things have changed significantly since the previous appointment where the Basque pro-independence left appeared, the European of 2004, Herritarren Zerrenda surpassed the 5,000 votes, whereas AB was stumped in the candidacy of the Green ones, like EA and PNB, obtaining very bad results.

Adding the AB votes with and "Demokrazia Euskal Herriarentzat" (Basque pro-independence left ballot papers) ones, the votes obtained by the forces that call themselves pro-independence left ascended to about 8.600. With the votes obtained by PNV-EA in that occasion, the vote defined as Basque "nationalist" reached about 10.600.

Euskal Herria Bai has managed to fully surpass the vote of the Basque pro-independence left and also, although nearly, the one of the whole Basque nationalism, even without the help of the PNV, that has harvested a new electoral failure by bidding for the "centrists" candidates of Bayrou. Bayrou, although having gained excellent results in the presidential elections, has been clamorously deflated.

The candidate from Urruña Beñat Elizondo, emphasized that the votes obtained confirm that the pro-independence electorate welcomed the new coalition. He also added, "the context of these past few days cannot be avoided; the rupture of the cease-fire and non stop repression and arrests, it was not easy". Elizondo underlined that both the candidacies of EH Bai his program have been welcomed "with interest and respect" and that the obtained results demonstrate that little by little "we are making the Basque Country to be recognized as Country".

Basque leader Arnaldo Otegi arrested in Donostia-San Sebastian

06/08/2007

Spanish police arrested the Basque outlawed movement's most prominent politician Friday so he can start serving a 15-month sentence for speech he gave in the conmemoration of the killing by death squads of prominent Basque militant Argala 25 years ago, a court official said.

His arrest came just three days after ETA broke off a cease fire it had declared in March last year.

News of the arrest came just minutes before Otegi was due to start a news conference in the Basque city of San Sebastian.

Arnaldo Otegi's arrest is a very serious attack against the process 08/06/07

The imprisonment this morning 8th June 2007 of Batasuna'a national spokesman and main member of the this party's Negotiating Commission supposes a Maximum gravity incident, that adds another element to the permanent aggression towards the Political Conflict Resolution Process maintained by the PSOE since ETA's Permanent Cease-Fire proclamation of March 2006, which has brought us to this situation.

Unfortunately, it is not new. Arnaldo Otegi began the Cease-fire in prison; and it is surely the most graphical example to explain which has been the real attitude of the PSOE during these fourteen months: constant aggression against the Basque pro-independence left, revenge penitentiary policies, breach of the agreements…

All these means that Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's Government, has given way to repression in a new attempt to neutralize the Basque Pro-Independence and Socialist Left.

Before this new aggression, Batasuna wants to deliver the following message to both the Basque Country and the International Community:

- The Basque Pro-Independence and Socialist Left has achieved to have the necessity of a political agreement for the resolution of the conflict as the centre of the political debate.

- The Basque Pro-Independence and Socialist Left is going to contribute and push the political resolution forward, both here as well as in the international arena. It is therefore proposing concrete and feasible proposals such as Anoeta's proposal or the Political proposal of a new democratic framework.

- The opportunity to resolve the Basque conflict is still open and we let it fade away. We are conscious of the possibilities, as well as of the risks but we will work without scepticisms, concerning the political terms there are still objective conditions and subjective ones concerning the commitment shown by the Basque society…

- Each Basque or international political and social agent must take the responsibility to create positive surroundings that will favour a resolution process. The Basque Pro-Independence Left continues committed to this achievement.

The Basque Pro-Independence and Socialist Left summons the society to follow this route and, mainly, to demand all the social and political agents, from their performance area, to boost dynamics towards the resolution and to denounce the repressive routes.

We want to have a question interiorised: how can someone believe that the Spanish Government has enough commitment to create a different scenario when it imprisons the main interlocutors of the Basque pro-independence left, when it jails who President Zapatero himself defined as "man of peace and necessary interlocutor".

We are convinced that the Basque society is scandalized with the imprisonment of Arnaldo Otegi and we are convinced also that above all the difficulties this Country bids to create conditions in favour of a resolution process.

The Basque Pro-Independence and Socialist Left wants again to reinforce its commitment with that objective, because despite the difficulties, neither Zapatero nor the PSOE are going to sink this Country's anxieties for a resolution.

The lawyer and also member of the national executive of Batasuna Jone Goirizelaia visited Otegi ore around an hour, then explained to the press that Otegi is "in a normal module with the same conditions that the political and social prisoners" of Martutene.

She added that during the visit both commented "the situation created" as a result of his imprisonment and, immediately afterwards assured that, to her understanding, the Supreme Court's ruling is not a legal sentence, but "a political decision". Goirizelaia understands that it is a ruling "of revenge".

ETA prisoner De Juana returns to jail out of Basque Country

06/06/2007

The prisoner left Donostia Hospital in an ambulance on his way to Madrid. On Tuesday the Interior minister said De Juana was not going home after being discharged from Hospital.

The inmate Iñaki de Juana Chaos has been declared healthy again and was removed Wednesday from the hospital in the Basque city of Donostia-San Sebastian, where he had been recovering from a 114-day hunger strike.

There has been a strong police presence at the Donostia Hospital since midday.

The prisoner left hospital at about 1.30pm in a medical ambulance watched over by two local police patrols. Media waited at the main entrance to the hospital, waiting to se the prisoner leaving, but few cameras could record De Juana leaving.

On Tuesday, Interior minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said De Juana Chaos, released from prison on March 1 after a hunger strike that left him gravely ill, will be sent back to jail, not home, to serve out the rest of his prison term under police surveillance, a possibility that had initially been raised.

Askatasuna, the Basque political prisoners support group said this new move form the Spanish government is one of pure revenge.

Batasuna blames failure of process on Government and truce brakdown on ETA

The spokesman for outlawed leftwing nationalist Batasuna, Arnaldo Otegi, said that the responsibility for the breakdown of the ceasefire was "unique and exclusively ETA's" although he affirmed that "the failure and collapse of the so-called peace process" should be blamed on the Spanish Government and Basque Nationalist Party PNV.

Otegi spoke at a press conference in Donostia-San Sebastian alongside also party members Marije Fullaondo and Pernando Barrena, and assured that despite "the great worry" the breakdown of the truce may cause, politicians should not make citizens believe "everything is over" because "the process is still possible in this country."

Otegi noted that leftwing nationalism completely stands by its commitments to solve the conflict through dialogue, and added that truces and goodwill attempts are "part of the process, but are not the process."

Resume of the Basque pro-independence left's press conference on the end of ETA's cease-fire

0.- Today is a bad day.
1- We want to share with society the huge preoccupation for the collapse of the process.

2- About ETA's statement:

2.1. This announcement's responsibility corresponds exclusively to ETA.

2.2. The responsibility of the collapse and the lack of steps on the process clearly lay on the Spanish government and the PNV.

2.3. We have learned that peace and cease-fires can not be given for granted and that cease-fires and the end of all kind of violence are part of the process, are part of it but are not the process itself.

3-Why have we reached this situation of collapse? Three circumstances to be underlined:

3.1. Spanish government's lack of courage;

- It has not given steps towards the good direction of the process.

- Furthermore, it has boasted itself of doing less than the PP.

3.2. Lack of political dialogue in equality conditions

- If somebody had suggested, at the beginning of the process, that now a days we would continue being illegal, it would have seemed absurd: that is never the less the reality, the undemocratic situation lived these past elections it has been the last straw.


3.3. Lack of clear commitment towards a change of framework agenda in the Basque Country

- The rejection to resolve both keys of the conflict; Right to decide our future and end of partition.

- These are the reasons for the collapse and the lack of steps on the process


4.- What now? The opportunity for a process still exists: the Basque pro-independence left does not consider the process buried nor ended.

4.1. Dialogue, negotiation and agreement are now more necessary than ever.

- That is why the Spanish government, must leave aside the anti-terrorist schemes to confront the political problem and search for a solution.

4.2. The proposal for a democratic framework will continue being our offer for the resolution.

- The Basque pro-independence left has forwarded the only existing resolution proposal with which we will, from now on also, address our people.


- The Basque pro-independence left forwarded both "Now The People Now the Peace " proposal and "Autonomy for 4 provinces" proposals to firstly make the way to the process and secondly fill it with political content. So we ask: where are the other parties' proposals?

4.3. The Basque pro-independence left wants to assure the Basque Country that from now on, will work with more intensity and initiative than ever, to re-enter in a definitive resolution scenario .

- We will continue working, as up until now, with responsibility and request to all the political parties involved to do the same.

- We will get in touch with the Basque political agents as well as those in the international scope.

- Last thought: We cannot loose this opportunity! The only alternative to the process is process itself!!.

Political reactions to ETA's end of ceasefire in Ireland

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams has urged the Spanish government and the Basques to do everything in their power to put their peace process back on track.

The Sinn Fein leader issued the appeal after ETA declared an end to its latest ceasefire from midnight Tuesday. The West Belfast MP, who visited Madrid and the Basque Country last year to encourage both sides to develop their process of conflict resolution, expressed disappointment at the latest development.

"Everyone who has been involved in attempting to get aviable peace process operating in the Basque Country is disappointed at the breakdown in the process over recent months and today`s announcement from ETA ending its ceasefire," he said. "However, the lessons of the Irish peace process and indeed every conflict resolution process throughout the world tells us that it is now important to redouble efforts to put the process there back on track." "All sides should show restraint and do everything in their power to ensure that a process is put in place which can allow this conflict to be resolved peacefully through genuine dialogue and engagement."

The ETA decision was described by Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern last evening as "deeply disappointing".

"While the practical implications of today's announcement remain unclear, this is a retrograde step which can only delay the final resolution of a conflict which has scarredthe lives of so many," Mr Ahern said. "ETA's leadership and all those with influence over it should reconsider, and commit themselves to work for a resolution of all outstanding problems by purely peacefuland democratic means."

Batasuna: "The process is necessary and there are not alternatives to it."

Arnaldo Otegi assured that despite "the great worry" the breakdown of the truce may cause, politicians should not make citizens believe "everything is over" because "the process is still possible in this country."

Arnaldo Otegi, spokesman for outlawed leftwing nationalist BatasunaThe spokesman for outlawed leftwing nationalist Batasuna, Arnaldo Otegi, said that the responsibility for the breakdown of the ceasefire was "unique and exclusively ETA's" although he affirmed that "the failure and collapse of the so-called peace process" should be blamed on the Spanish Government and Basque Nationalist Party PNV.

Otegi spoke at a press conference in Donostia-San Sebastian alongside also party members Marije Fullaondo and Pernando Barrena, and assured that despite "the great worry" the breakdown of the truce may cause, politicians should not make citizens believe "everything is over" because "the process is still possible in this country."

Otegi noted that leftwing nationalism completely stands by its commitments to solve the conflict through dialogue, and added that truces and goodwill attempts are "part of the process, but are not the process."

ETA denounces that there are not conditions for a negotiation process and calls off the ceasefire

"ETA, Basque socialist revolutionary organization for national liberation, wants to announce Basque citizens:

It’s time for clarification. Euskal Herria wants to overcome its institutional division and make a way to the construction of an Independent State. Thousands of voices in favor of a political and social change, thousands of voices in favor of this country. ETA too backs a process for the liberation of the Basque people. The final stage of this process will surely be an Independent State called Euskal Herria. Nevertheless, in order to reach this stage, a unique framework is needed including Navarre, Alava, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, and another that unites Lapurdi, Benafarroa and Zuberoa. With the union of the seven territories, we will construct the future of our country.

All in all, the union of the seven provinces to construct the future of our people. It’s obvious that pseudo-solutions will take nowhere. The future is in our hands and we will succeed.

The masks fell. Zapatero's character has turned into a fascism that left parties and citizens without rights. But they are not the only ones. Insulting repeatedly, unable to satisfy their desire for money, the PNV leaders lost their mask as well. Unfortunately, the liberty of people uses to have treachery as its enemy. Each time it was necessary to take important decisions to construct the future in defense of Euskal Herria, they lied. Now, in return, citizens didn’t give them blank checks to continue feeding the suffering of this people under the Spanish protection. They only succeeded in seducing those responsible of the repression against national rights, not the Basque citizens, who want to live in democracy and freedom.

We citizens suffer the lack of democracy. Instead of disappearing, the attacks against Euskal Herria increase and become worse. Spain’s Justice kept out off these antidemocratic elections thousands of citizens and the Basque leftwing movement, principal agent of the process. Euskal Herria is actually living a state of exception. The recent elections were illegitimate. Spain’s Government responded to ETA’s permanent ceasefire with arrests, torture and every type of persecution. Minimum democratic conditions for a negotiating process do not exist.

We have the key to guarantee the present and future of Euskal Herria: self-determination and territoriality, and the grains that thousands and thousands of citizens have sown will bring our country an abundant harvest.

Meanwhile, we confirm our decision to defend with arms the people who are attacked with arms.

We call all citizens to rebel against this fake and corrupt democracy and to engage themselves in the construction of a free State called Euskal Herria. Everyone from his own area and with his own possibilities. With generosity and in unity.

Finally, ETA wishes to announce that it is abandoning its permanent ceasefire and has decided to act on all fronts in defence of Euskal Herria as of midnight June 6, 2007.

In Euskal Herria, June 2007

The Basque pro-independence left comes out reinforced form the elections

Assessment of the 27th May 2007 municipal and leasehold elections


A democratic framework to overcome the political conflict is now more necessary than ever


Three are the main conclusions of the Municipal, Leasehold and Autonomic Elections (except in Catalunya, Andalucia, Galiza and the Basque Autonomous Community) hold in the Spanish State the 27th May 2007.

The first conclusion, is that the Basque pro-independence left, is despite of the constant judicial and police attacks, despite all type of political, legal, electoral and media limitations, due to its illegalization, the only political expression that raises, that gains votes, while all the others are on a more or less pronounced downward trend.

The second conclusion, is that in these elections a clear opportunity to advance in the way in the political resolution of the conflict and to reinforce the multiparty dialogue has been lost, because the illegalization of the Basque pro-independence and socialist political expression commanded by the PSOE, has generated undemocratic elections and illegitimate municipal, leasehold and autonomic institutions, as one of the most important expressions of the Basque political map is, that is also a necessary part in the agreement for the resolution of the Basque conflict, as is the Basque pro-independence and socialist movement. Instead of eliminating an important problem in the way to peace, a new knot, that complicates the dialogue and agreement, has been formed at a critical moment.

The third conclusion is that the PSOE has not obtained the expected results that would have reinforced it before next years the General Elections where president Zapatero gambles his re-election. Even though the PSOE has had favourable economic results, the popularity obtained with the retirement of the troops from Iraq, or the homosexual marriage, have not his Government. This is mainly for the bad management carried out with the Catalan Process and especially the Basque one.

As we have already indicated it in the previous months, the PSOE has carried out an ominous management of the process mainly since March 2006 when ETA declared the permanent cease-fire. The PSOE does not want to face a process of political contents and has limited itself to manage a cease-fire diluting the opportunities and approaching the problem from a pacification point of view and using the process to feed his confrontation with the PP (remembered the multiple declarations where the PSOE boasts itself from doing less than the PP).

Its lack of historical ambition has brought it to manage the process in a conjectural and short-term way. Its lack of clarity and forcefulness before the Spanish citizenship has given its fruits in the ballot boxes. Meanwhile the PP has been able to win in votes and has taken advantage of PSOE’s political ambition towards its rancid, conservative, antisocial, neo-liberal and antiterrorist speech, totally against any negotiated and agreed solution towards the Basque subject, to continue reinforcing their intransigent position.

After the last elections the future of the political negotiation process for the resolution of the Basque conflict is at a worse political panorama, despite of which the Basque pro-independence and socialist movement, maintains a clear bid towards the political agreement that will bring peace and lasting justice scenario to the Basque Country.


Results in the four Basque Provinces under Spanish domination

Out of approximately 1,150,000 voters and approximately 4,000 councilmen, the Basque pro-independence left has almost obtained 190,000 votes and more than 700 elected representatives, with a raise of more than 30,000 votes, despite being banned during the pasts four years, outside the institutions, despite of continuing now a days being banned in most of the Basque municipalities, and despite the important ascent of the abstention. It has been the only political expression in gaining votes, while the other political parties, all legal, have lost electoral weight.

Out of approximately 500 municipalities, the Basque pro-independence left has, despite being illegal in many of them, been the most voted force in almost 60 Basque town halls. It has been the second voted force in more than 90 town halls, and third political force in other 45. Being the second force in the number of elected representatives.

All of this demonstrates, on the one hand, that the pro-independence left is still a real political force despite the other parties’ attempts to exclude it from the institutions and the political life, and on the other hand, that the social support towards a new democratic framework that surpasses the political conflict in a definitive way is an inescapable reality. These numbers are a clear sample of what would have happened if, as the Basque pro-independence and socialist left, had been legal in the whole of the territory with a on going process. It would have become the second political force of the country, reaching to be the true political alternative. The PNV and the PSOE had to know about it when they bid for its pre-electoral illegalization.

As far as the PNV, the party of the “missing” president Ibarretxe, in spite of being first force in the Basque Autonomous Community, has obtained very bad results, with about 300,000 votes, losing more than 100.000. A reality that has a lot to do with its neo-liberal policy, its fraudulent management of the institutions and mainly with the strategic change taken towards the process: promoted all by the president of the PNV, Josu Jon Imaz, who has turned his party a true hostage of the PSOE, to the service of Zapatero in Madrid, forgetting his commitment in the defence of the right of the Basque citizenship to decide and bidding to become a party that holds the balance of power in Madrid.

The PSOE has benefited from the PNV’s fall in the Basque Autonomous community and in Navarre it has not been reinforced as it hoped to try a change of Government. The PSN (Socialist Party of Navarre) has had a rejection attitude towards the process, without tending to create positive surroundings to reinforce it, on the contrary has looked for pretexts to continue with the status quo and the confrontation scheme. Being noticed in the ballot boxes.


Change in Nafarroa.

One of the knots that feed the conflict is the territorial partition of our country. Nafarroa, the historical province and biggest of the Basque Country is separated of the others, this separation is fruit of the Spanish state strategy that during the transition wanted to maintain and perpetrate the rejection policy towards the existence of the Basque nation and its right to decide.

In Nafarroa, UPN (the Navarrese version of the PP) has lost the absolute majority that had with the CDN aid, and despite being the most voted force more it seems it is going to lose the presidency of the Independent Government as well as the mayor of the capital, Iruñea (Pamplona), that, after the necessary agreements, would fall into the hands of the PSN and NaBai respectively.

NaBai, or Nafarroa Bai (Yes to Navarre), coalition, an alliance between PNV, EA and Aralar and with the support of some independents, has notably risen to such an extent to be the political force that will make possible a change of Government in Navarre.

This coalition has agglutinated the useful vote against the undemocratic, anti-Basque and contrary to the resolution of the conflict policies of UPN-PP and CDN. But it has also been an effective instrument for the PNV to reinforce itself in this area and to try to corner the Basque pro-independence left. NaBai pretends to be an option that, without proposing a real change that will favour the democratic conflict resolution process that will overcome the territorial partition, and end with 20 years of extreme rightist Spanish Government. Has thus become the second political force in the Parliament of Nafarroa, over the PSN-PSOE.

The Basque pro-independence left has obtained good results in the municipal elections, around 30,000 votes. The pro-independence left appears like the only real alternative with its new democratic framework proposal proposes to unify the four provinces and to give them the right to decide, overcoming therefore the knots of the conflict. Nevertheless, it has not been able to be voted for being declared illegal, to the Parliament of Nafarroa nor to participate in the creation of the Government of Navarre, a key Government in the resolution of the conflict. An added obstacle affects the process, as one of the main parts of the conflict is not present in this key institution.

This contradictory electoral reality in makes the Navarre’s Parliament chosen after the 27th May 2007, not reflect the social and political reality of the province.



The results in the Spanish state

The Spanish State, in the hardest confrontation between Zapatero and Rajoy, or PSOE and PP, the Spanish right has been fortified in these “primary” elections, since the of Al Quaeda attack of 11th March 2004 and despite having spent three years in the opposition, the PP has obtained more votes than the PSOE, although the PSOE has obtained more councilmen.

It seems that, although the economic data have been very favourable to the PSOE, the PP has been able to wear off the PSOE in a very hard confrontation in fundamental subjects such as the antiterrorist policy, the reform of the Catalan Estatut or the conflict resolution process in the Basque Country. But it must be underlined that above all the pressures undergone by the PSOE, this has not known to act to the height of the circumstances, nor with necessary the historical ambition that a political process of these characteristics required.

As we mentioned previously, the PSOE has limited to manage a mere pacification process not wanting to advance on what would really and definitively overcome the conflict and all its consequences: the political contents of the process and their way to surpass them, investigating in the way to overcome the territorial partition, looking for the way to recognize the Basque nation and staging the channels to give it the possibility to decide its future democratically and freely.
The PSOE knows perfectly that without approaching the political terms of the conflict it cannot be overcome as well as that the Basque Pro-Independence Left will never accept a process that does not overcome the conflict in a democratic and definitive way.

All of these place the PSOE and Zapatero in a very delicate position. It seems evident that the contradictory attitude maintained by the PSOE up until now in sensible matters such as Euskal Herria and Catalunya, or the antiterrorist issue, favours the PP.

On the other hand, if the PSOE takes up the PP’s policy on these matters, it seems evident that the PP would win, as the Spanish citizenship would prefer the original one to the copy. Nevertheless, the decision to clearly bid for an audacious policy in these matters will suppose a strong confrontation against the PP. Although both positions are dangerous, it seems evident that to follow as until now has no sense. Another thing is to know if the PSOE has an internal situation that allows it to make a clear policy in defence of the conflict resolution process and peace, something that most of the Spanish citizenship would finish congratulating.



Unequivocal commitment of the Basque Pro-Independence and Socialist Left towards the political resolutions process.

In this complicated political situation, the Basque Socialist Pro-Independence Left clearly bids to retake the political conflict resolution process of and to look for a global agreement that it places the Basque Country in a justice and lasting peace scene, reason why it will continue working in defence of a democratic framework regarding the relations with the Spanish State.

It is time of all the agents involved in the resolution of the conflict to act with responsibility. It corresponds us to each one of the parts to think and to look for the understanding in order to definitively overcome this conflict once and for all. The dialogue and negotiation process is deeply affected and the present situation, after the pre-electoral illegalization of the Basque Socialist Pro-Independence Left, is more than critical, as the PP is taking terrain. The pro-independence left is still committed to both, its peoples and to the democratic resolutions process, it corresponds to the other parts involved to take that commitment so that the future generations can live in a just and peacefully society.

WE ARE BACK WITH GREAT GOOD NEWS FROM THE BASQUE COUNTRY

We want to apologize to all our readers after being two months without publishing any news. Technical problems didn't allow us to do it until today.

As you would imagine many and important things happened in the Basque Country in the last two months. We'll try to summarize them on the next couple of lines.

The best news came up from the last Sunday's council and provincial assemblies' elections in the south of the Basque Country.

But we'll start from where we left things. Beginning of April.

After the powerful rally organised by Batasuna attended by more than 20,000 people the left pro-independence did a new move, once again, to try to push ahead the process. A new party was presented: Abertzale Sozialisten Batasuna (Union of Patriot Socialists) and fulfilled all the requirements demanded by the fascist Parties' Law.

At the same time lists were organised to stand at the local council elections. 30,000 signatures were needed to be able to do so. In just two weeks 82,000 were collected proving the will of Basque people to have democratic elections.

The Spanish government's answer was quick and dramatic. 250 council elections Abertzale Sozialistak's platforms were banned. That move was understood as an attack again any kind of democratic process of resolution of the conflict and a lack of interest of the Spanish state to get involved in such.

The European Parliament Friendship for Democratic Resolution of Basque Conflict said:

"If we compare the Basque peace process with others in Europe such as Northern Ireland we see that no party was banned and all political positions and views were respected. This was crucial in establishing peace. Yet in the Basque Country it's possible that for the forthcoming elections a portion of Basque society will be denied the opportunity to express themselves politically."

Then ANV (Basque Nationalist Action, the old left pro-independence party who fought fascism in the 1936-1939 war)came up and said that they'd stand in elections to give voice to those banned and defend a political resolution to the conflict.

The Spanish government's response was the usual one and they got to ban 150 of the ANV's council and provincial lists.

The elections campaign was anything but a democratic one. ANV was marginalized, attacked, censured...everywhere but the strength of the left pro-independence and its activists overcame the obstacles and the results were spectacular: 187,000 votes.

Half of them were "illegal" and the "legal" ones provided the left abertzale 30 town majors and 720 councillors (half of them "illegal").

In the meantime 8 suspected members of ETA were arrested at the end of April and very badly tortured and 3 political refugees were arrested in Sheffield (England). Both attacks were considered as a an unprecedented move from the Spanish and British authorities.

The Sheffield Three are awaiting for trial in Belmarsh prison in London. They could be extradited to Spain in July.

ETA was interviewed by the Basque abertzale daily Gara where they stated that:
"If the attacks stop we are ready for a firm commitment to a violence-free scenario"

You can read the whole interview in English at:
http://www.gara.net/paperezkoa/20070408/13404/en/If/the/attacks/stop/we/are/ready/for/firm/commitment/to/violence-free/scenario

20,000 left and pro-independence people rally held in Bilbao

Batasuna leader says will not accept anything else than self determination

About 20,000 people attended a rally in the Bilbao Exhibition Center in the Basque town of Barakaldo convened by Basque nationalist leftist militants. The rally ended without incident and none of the speakers made any mention to Abertzale Sozialisten Batasuna (ASB)", a new party which, according to Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon, contains "several elements that indicate the political group is an apparent continuation of Batasuna,'' which was made illegal in 2003.

The court on Saturday allowed the rally to go ahead, provided no mention was made of the new party. Police said the rally had obeyed the court by not mentioning or displaying the new party's name.

Several people sang songs in favor of the Basque prisoners and their amnesty during the rally, held under the slogan "Badator Udaberri, badator Euskal Herri berria," (Spring is coming, a new Basque Country is coming).

Batasuna leader Arnaldo Otegi, speaking at the rally, said that the posibilitie of a democratic process to start is targeted by spanish goverment. Insisted that there is a way to resolve the conflict and that BATASUNA has put on the table the mthodology the main contents and its complete determination, giving all steps are in its hands. Pernando Barrena, another prominent leader of Batasuna, said they will not accept anything else that self-determination for the Basque Country.

More pictures and videos: www.euskalherriberria.org

NEW ATTACKS AGAINST THE PEACE PROC ESS

TWO ETA MENBERS ARRESTED IN FRANCE DECLARE THEY ARE MEMBERS OF THE NEGOTIATION TEAM AND THAT WERE WORKING ON THE PEACE PROCESS NEGOTIATION WITH SPANISH GOVERMENT

BOTH WERE ARRESTED LAST NIGHT IN PERIGOUD FRANCE.

JON IURREBASO AGED 51 AND KEPA MIRENA SUAREZ AGED 47 WERE ARRESTED DRIVING A CAR.


At least eight suspected ETA members arrested in Basque Country

03/28/2007

Spanish Interior minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said more arrests are not ruled out. Five of the arrests were carried out in the Basque towns of Andoain, Donostia, Idiazabal, Oion and Uharte-Arakil.

Spanish Civil arrest one of the suspected ETA members.


The Spanish Interior minister, Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, confirmed that eight people were arrested in a "wide" operation carried out by the Civil Guard that is still open and targeted ETA's infrastructure.

In a short appearance in Congress, Perez Rubalcaba apologised for the few details he could unveil, but insisted more arrests are not ruled out. "I can say nothing else," he said.

Thus, he didn't confirm if the operation targets the Donosti cell, as antiterrorist sources affirmed.As the association in defence of Basque prisoners (Askatasuna) confirmed, Joseba Lerin was arrested in Andoain, Juan Carlos Herrador in Donostia-San Sebastian, Endika Zinkunegi in Oion, Iñigo Orue in Idiazabal and Lorea Irigoienen in Uharte-Arakil.

IV IRISH BASQUE ANNUAL NIGHT IN BELFAST

The Belfast Basque Committee is organising the IV IRISH-BASQUE NIGHT next Good Friday, 6th of April.

From 8.30pm at Conway Mill, Lower Falls Road, you will find Basque traditional musicians, Irish and Basque DJ's playing ska, reggae and Basque mixes, patxaran, t-shirts, video screenings...and many more surprises.

Previous editions have been a huge success. We ask everybody to come early to avoid disappointment as it always gets packed.

Tickets: £5 before 10pm / £8 after 10pm.Bring your own.

Pro independence left registers new political party at Interior Ministry.

Basque outlawed Batasuna's spokesman Arnaldo Otegi assured the Basque left-wing nationalist movement "fulfilled meticulously the Political Parties Law" when they registered a new political party, Abertzale Sozialisten Batasuna (Basque Socialist Patriots Union), as a new "step" to facilitate the "democratic process."

During a news conference, where no questions were admitted, Otegi said the new political party fulfills meticulously the conditions established by the Political Parties Law, even if he considered the law as "absolutely anti-democratic."

Otegi gave the news conference accompanied by several Batasuna leaders such as Pernando Barrena, Joseba Permach, and Maite Diaz de Heredia.

The Basque leftwing nationalist leader highlighted the new framework has been made to build a new "democratic situation" and not to challenge anyone. He asked the political forces to be "rigorous in their analysis" and to show "the same level of compromise" as the Basque leftwing nationalist movement is doing to reach peace.

Basque Autonomous government :

Basque Government criticized also the Political Parties Law, saying that it doesn't serve to face "future." She reminded the Basque leftwing nationalist movement decided, since its Anoeta proposal, to follow pacific and democratic paths.

Basque activists filed papers with the Interior Ministry to create the new party.

Batasuna's political activities were banned by the Spanish National Court judge Baltasar Garzon on August 26, 2002. Afterwards, the Supreme Court outlawed and dissolved the party as it considered it was part of the armed band ETA.

Leftwing nationalism announced it will hold an event at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre Saturday in which they will unveil their offer, as representatives of the group noted during the presentation of the event.

Interior Ministry statement

In a statement, the Interior Ministry said some of the people promoting the new party may have links to Batasuna or other separatist organizations banned by Spanish courts, and prompted investigations into those facts.

"The name of the proposed new party, Abertzale Sozialisten Batasuna, sounds very much like Batasuna", it added. And the by-laws of the new group contain nothing to suggest it is anything but a follow-up to Batasuna, the ministry said. Prosecutors will study the petition to form the new party.

Police arrested outlawed Batasuna leader Arnaldo Otegi

Spanish Police arrested the leader of banned Basque leftwing nationalist party Batasuna Wednesday to bring him to Madrid for a court hearing after he said he was stuck in the region because of a snowstorm.

Officers acting on a court order arrested Arnaldo Otegi at his home in the Basque town of Elgoibar, said a police official speaking on condition of anonymity because of rules that prevent her from giving her name put him in a militar plane and flied to MAdrid.

Officers were to bring Otegi to Madrid for a trial that was to have started earlier Wednesday. Arnaldo Otegi had been due to appear in a Madrid court earlier in the day to face charges of glorifying terrorism but had notified court officials that he could not make it on time due to snow blocking the road from the Basque Country.

The National Court had labeled Otegi's given reason for missing the start of the trial - a snowstorm that has snarled travel in the Basque Country - as unjustified. The Court said in a ruling that it had told the police to arrest him and deliver him for the hearing in Madrid at 6 pm (1700 GMT).

Otegi, who faces several court cases, was to stand trial this time on charges of praising terrorism, which is a crime in Spain. This case stems from remarks Otegi made at the funeral of 22-year-old Olaya Castresana, a suspected ETA member who was killed in 2001 when explosives she was preparing blew up. During the funeral, Otegi carried the coffin of Castresana and praised fallen ETA members as patriots.

After the trial walked free from Madrid's High Court on Wednesday after the state prosecutor dropped charges against him.

"The definitive solution and the possibility of obtaining it in a few weeks is on the table". Otegi.

Interview with Arnaldo Otegi


Arnaldo Otegi has been interviewed this weekend in Gara and, given the importance of both its words and the political moment; we have decided to reproduce the complete interview. Otegi approaches the necessity of the Basque Country to see the political parties urgently commit with the search of "an agreement that allows the construction of a process that guarantees a final scene of democracy for this country. But he not only raises the necessity to do it, but also the possibility of obtaining it in few weeks". In addition, it approaches other questions of the present time such as the offensive of the PP and the crisis in the PNV.



The political activity of the Basque pro-independence left is in these days is centred in the proposal for the resolution of the conflict that publicly forwarded its negotiating commission the past 7th February. Arnaldo Otegi explains that this proposal "is consequence of an effort made by the Basque pro-independence left to find an agreed and democratic solution to the two knots that feed the conflict: territoriality and right to decide". Arnaldo adds that is a "reasonable proposal that begins in the present situation and concludes in a autonomy framework of four territories that would only take effect if the citizenship of the two communities agreed with it. In addition sets an equality of opportunities scene for all the political projects. That is the solution to definitively overcome the conflict and what is upon the table".

There are those who say that either you accept my project or there is no solution, is blackmail…

This it is not our project. Our project is independence and socialism. What we maintain is to overcome the territorial division by means of a process of sum of wills, and that in a Autonomy framework for the four territories a possibility to, in equality of conditions, in peace and in democracy, fulfil all the projects can be materialized if that is the wish of the citizens of this country. That is not our project, that is democracy for this country. Those who say so should explain what is their solution. To maintain the territorial division and a political regime that prevents the materialization of some projects through democratic routes? That is not a solution.

What has been the reaction of the different parties?

What we see is that PNV and the PSOE try to get away from the debate of the proposal. To our understanding is because it is so scrupulously democratic that it cannot be attacked. I believe they show nothing but weakness, because on the one hand they say nothing about the proposal and on the other they offer no alternatives, maybe is because do not haveany or because they do not dare to make it public. We do not understand, for example, what problem the PNV has with this proposal.

The Government of Lakua said that it is weaker than Ibarretxe's Plan…

I believe that is neither reasonable nor credible to say that the proposal forwarded in the Parliament of Gasteiz for three territories, in the terms in which it was done, surpasses the one just forwarded by the Basque pro-independence left. The PNV made a pact of state in the 77, to manage a three-province territory without the right to decide. In any case, we want to understand that if the PNV believes so about the Basque pro-independence left proposal it will have no problem defending it. We propose a framework for four territories, not a scheme of integration or annexation of Nafarroa. The issue we raise is that the citizenship of Nafarroa, along with the one of the rest of territories, will build a new political framework. We do not suggest a sum of frameworks but a new one.

There are those who think that the PNV could go against it because in an autonomy of four it could lose the power that an autonomy to three has…

But I suppose that those who consider ourselves democrats understand that in a framework with democratic game rules everybody aspires to obtain hegemony. The game rules are very simple. Everyone will have to present the citizenship with its project and will be this one who will have to decide it free and democratically. If that decision happens because the PSOE, the PNV or the Basque pro-independence left has the hegemony, it will have to be accepted. We do not have any problem in that and do not think that the PNV has it either.

They publicly say that they are not going to seat with you while ETA violence continues or Batasuna does not distance itself from that violence…

The majority population of this country has the desire to begin multilateral political dialogue. In addition, this proposal looks for a reasonable approach to the rest of proposals on the table. On the issue of violence it is necessary to remember that ETA maintains a permanent cease-fire. To say in this situation that there is no will to engage in a dialogue that is to say, that they do not want to resolve this conflict democratically.

Do you think that the proposal will be tackled in the short term?

In the next weeks, the political forces, fundamentally those that block the democratic process must show their maximum commitment to approach one first step to be able to inform the Basque society that a process of negotiation and multilateral solid based political dialogue begins and that the objective is to reach a scene in which all the projects are possible.

Which are the forces that block that process of solution?

From our point of view the PNV and the PSOE, that neither debate the proposal nor offer alternatives. To explain why they do not want to look for solutions.

I insist, these parties assure that before seating with you to engage in dialogue
certain conditions around violence must be given …

We continued considering the methodology proposed in Anoeta valid. It seems that those political formation that do not follow Anoeta are the ones that refuse to develop the political dialogue. On the issue of ETA, what they have to do is to speak with ETA. But the blockade and the unfreezing of the process is an issue to be tackled by the parties' board. The political parties cannot wait any longer to close a commitment in our area of responsibility, which is to solve the conflict in political terms. And it is necessary to do it urgently, in the following weeks. At the moment the priority lies on the unblocking of the process at an integral and global way. With regard to the parties' responsibility, this country needs with urgency an agreement that will allow the construction of a process that will guarantee a final democracy scene for this country. It is necessary to do it urgently. If there is political will it is possible to be do it in the following weeks. That is what we are facing in this conjuncture.

Soon it will be a year since ETA announced permanent cease-fire. What valuation do you do of this period?

We have lived constant spaces of both ambiguity and the lack of commitment that have generated, instead of positives, continuous negative scenes. There are two elements that have been constant in these twelve months: the structural repression against the Basque pro-independence left and the lack of commitment to start a multilateral political dialogue. That is what causes a convulsive process. As opposed to that, the Basque pro-independence left bids to build a stable process, of mutual agreement and with guarantees for all the parts involved. That is what we are trying to build with the proposal forwarded by the negotiating commission. We pretend to stabilize our track, which at the same time stabilizes the process in global and integral terms.

Your latest comment that the State has no political price to pay either to ETA or Batasuna has brought about loads of attention, what do you mean by it?

Is very simple: that the Spanish State does not have a problem with ETA or Batasuna. At the most it will have a part of the problem. It has a problem with the Basque Country, that majority and democratically it demands to be recognized, that its right to decide and to vertebrate its territory be respected. For that reason, the State does not have to pay a political price to the Basque pro-independence left, must respect the agreement reached by the political forces of the Basque Country to resolve the conflict in democratic terms.

And do you think that taking into account the current behaviour of the PP towards Zapatero he can take or guarantee new steps?

We always have demanded historical ambition. The scenes that we are seeing remind us of the 1977 and 1978. They are practically same scenes, with the difference that in the 77 there was transition led by the pro-Franco sectors - political and biological parents of the PP- and therefore it was a non-democratic transition, that imposed to our country the territorial partition and the lack of decision making capacity, now there is the opportunity to carry out the democratic transition that was not done in the 1977. That happens through the recognition of the national rights of the peoples that are within the Spanish State. That is the open opportunity now. That should be done with the participation of the PP, but the problem is that this party is not in positions of democratic right but of extreme right.

Some sectors consider that, having in mind the harassment that Zapatero undergoes, the Basque pro-independence left should do something to facilitated things…

Without entering that scheme, it is necessary to remember that the Basque pro-independence left forwarded the Anoeta proposal, that ETA maintains a permanent cease-fire, that we are willing to speak in any condition and that we just presented another proposal - that is not our political project - that allows a democratic and agreed solution. That is to say, we have put on the table the definitive solution to the conflict and the conditions that make it possible can already be obtained. That is why to do it is so urgent. It is necessary to take that step, which is a task of historical dimensions. The PP is trying to deeply sabotage this change that could solve the problems that the pro-Franco reform did not resolve. It thinks that this way will be able to maintain the manipulated the pro-Franco reform and to win the elections.


Speaking of elections, which are practically around the corner, what is the Basque pro-independence left going to do?

The Basque pro-independence left is going to present itself. Firstly, we also have institutional fight vocation. We were born as popular unity to carry out among other things the institutional fight. We are not a formation that he wants to be outside the institutions, we also want to be an alternative in the institutions. Secondly, we are going present ourselves because from the institutions it is also possible to deepened in the process of solutions and, thirdly, because if we are not in the next elections those elections will not be democratic.

Are you thinking about legalizing some acronym or another formula?

We insist on our vocation and right to be in the elections, and that right must be respected. The resolution process needs to have the Basque pro-independence left in the elections , how can it be a process otherwise?