The Minister of Self-Government will meet next Wednesday to advance negotiations on ongoing transfers and to conclude the meeting of the Bilateral Cooperation Commission that will take place at the end of October.
The Basque Government has stated that it has been working since July to prepare an initial proposal for the transfer to Euskadi of the management of the economic social security regimel, which is estimated at 12 billion euros per year. Basque government sources confirmed after the press conference that this amount only covers the cost of paying pensions in Euskadi.
During the press conference after the Government Council, the spokesman for the Basque Government and the Minister of Self-Government said: Maria Ubarretxenaexplained that, in order to close the work calendar, they have already contacted the Spanish executive. In any case, he stressed that it is a “complex” transfer and that he wants to negotiate with the “greatest discretion”.
According to Ubarretxena, Lehendakari Pradales announced during the meeting of the Government Council the commitments that both he and the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, had acquired during the meeting last Friday in the Moncloa Palace. During that meeting, Pradales gave him a “work schedule” to complete the transfer of all ongoing transfers before the end of 2025, including the management of the social security system.
The Minister of Self-Government has assured that the Spanish government has already first proposal to transfer the first six pending powers: coastal planning and management, self-employment and self-employment permits for foreigners, maritime rescue, meteorology, film protection fund and occupational health and safety at the National Machine Verification Center in Bizkaia.
Similarly, Ubarretxena said that the Basque government is preparing “an initial proposal” for the remaining 23 powers, which they hope to send before the end of the year.
Meeting of the Bilateral Cooperation Committee
On the other hand, Ubarretxena has indicated that next Wednesday he will meet with the Secretary of State for Territorial Policy, Arcadi Spain, to advance the negotiations on the pending transfers and to facilitate the meeting of the Bilateral Cooperation Commission, which will be held at the end of October, and will be chaired by Pedro Sánchez and the Lehendakari, Imanol Pradales.
In addition to the transfers, other issues affecting relations between the two governments will also be put on the agenda at this bilateral meeting, the spokesperson said.
Source: EITB
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