‘It conflicts with local autonomy and limits municipal powers’

The Association of Basque Municipalities (EUDEL) believes that the ruling of the Supreme Court of the Basque Country (TSJPV), which nullifies part of the municipal law of Euskadi, “is contrary to local autonomy and limits the full development of municipal competences in the language field.”

During the first regular meeting of the EUDEL Executive Committee, held today at the headquarters of the Association of Basque Municipalities, the mayors approved a declaration in favor of the TSJPV statementmade public last Tuesday.

As was done before the previous ruling of the Supreme CourtEUDEL has reaffirmed itself in the defense of municipal law as a guarantee of municipal autonomy and the powers of local institutions, especially in the Basque Country. The association believes that this law is “essential” to shape the involvement of the municipal councils in the Basque language and the promotion of its use in the municipalities.

EUDEL believes “very serious” the annulment of articles of the Decree granting Basque the consideration of a service and working language of normal and general use.

According to the Association of Basque Municipalities, the impossibility of municipal councils establishing criteria for the oral and written use of the official languages, both internally and externally:a brake for the normalization of the use of Basque in the functioning of local entities, and even more worryingly, in the services they provide to Basque citizens.

Finally, EUDEL has highlighted the current moment, when steps are being taken to facilitate the use of co-official languages ​​in the State and in Europe, such as “a challenge and an opportunity” to continue to make progress in the development of language rights, through the legislation “built between all of us.”