Interview with ELA General Secretary Mitxel Lakuntza on Radio Euskadi, July 3, 2024

The General Secretary of ELA, Mitxel Lakuntzahas stated that it is “new” that the new Lehendakari, Imanol Pradales, wants to meet the union in the round of contacts with political groups and social actors that will take place soon, after Iñigo Urkullu decided “to break the union’s relations dialogue with DE A”. In this sense, he has assured that if he receives a call from the Lehendakaritza for a meeting, his answer will be affirmative.

In an interview for the program ‘Boulevard’ on Radio Euskadi, Lakuntza expressed his concern because, in his opinion, the new government of Imanol Pradales ‘comes to give continuity to the policy of Urkullu’. Furthermore, Lakuntza does not see any “will to change or transformation” based on the first manifestations of the new government and the programmatic agreement signed between the PNV and PSE-EE.

According to him, Lehendakari Pradales’ intentions regarding Osakidetza “may sound like make-up or propaganda, but time will tell” and in the next budgets “the real effort” will be realized. In this sense, he warned that if “issues such as taxes are not changed, public investment will not be able to increase.”

Lakuntza has indicated that the ELA’s position is to “reach agreements”, but has insisted that it will be “demanding” with the new Basque government.

There was also direction to the main opposition party, EH Pictureto ask him to “exercise opposition”, rather than proposing cooperation.

On the other hand, Lakuntza has expressed “surprise” and “displeasure” at having learned through the media of LAB’s proposal to agree on a minimum wage of 1,600 euros, since, as he explained, it is something they have been “jointly managing” for a few months. Therefore, he understands that LAB “has little interest in continuing with that proposal by talking to ELA.”