The Lehendakari of the Basque Government, Imanol Pradalesand the president of the Spanish government, Pedro Sanchez, having accepted the transfer of two skills to Euskadi, coastal management and a cinematographic fundwhich will be ratified during the Joint Transfer Commission which will be held on December 16. Furthermore, in the bilateral commission between the presidents of the Basque and Central Executive, it was decided to create a subcommittee to accelerate the transfer of four other materials before the end of this year and the timetable for addressing the rest of the pending skills during 2025 has been formally approved.
Imanol Pradales appeared before the media after the meeting of the permanent bilateral commission, chaired by Pedro Sánchez and the Lehendakari of La Moncloa, in which new steps were taken to complete the Gernika Statute of 1979.
The two presidents agreed on the transfer to Euskadi of two areas, the development and management of the coastline and the cinema protection fund, a transfer which It will be ratified on December 16 with the holding of the Joint Transfer Commission. Likewise, they decided to accelerate the transfer of four other powers, included in the same block as the two agreed, for which They created a subcommittee to speed up negotiations two. These four areas are: self-employed and self-employed work permits for foreigners, maritime rescue, meteorology and occupational health and safety at the National Machinery Verification Center in Biscay.
However, there are still more than 20 pending transfers which, according to the timetable approved at today’s meeting, must be concluded during the year 2025, including that of management of the economic system of social security.
The Lehendakari highlighted the climate of understanding and harmony of the meeting, a forum demanded by the PNV and which strengthens bilateral relations that the Basque Executive defends to advance its autonomous government. Pradeles was present in the company of Ibone Bengoetxea, vice president and cultural advisor, and the Minister of Autonomy, Maria Ubarretxena, while the President of the Government was accompanied by Ángel Víctor Torres, Minister of Territorial Policy and delegate of the Spanish government in Euskadi, Marisol Garmendia.
These transfers are in addition to those closed at the beginning of this year on Cercanías, the reception of immigrants and the approval of foreign diplomas. With the transfer of coastal management, the Basque Government will be in charge of maritime authorizations and installations and permits for seasonal uses on beaches and anchorage areas; in addition to authorizations or access for urbanization projects, bridges, fixed slipways, etc. According to Pradales, it will be possible to be more agile in procedures “by not having to go through authorizations through Madrid.” Euskadi will be the fourth autonomous community to assume these powers after Catalonia, Andalusia and the Canary Islands.
Conference of Presidents
The second subject to be transferred concerns the services, functions and resources that the State allocates to the promotion of cinema through the Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts. In this case, Euskadi will be the first community to manage it.
On the other hand, the Lehendakari, Imanol Pradales, confirmed that intends to attend the conference of Presidents scheduled for December 13 in Santander, “as far as I can combine it” with the plenary control session which will be held the same day in the Basque Parliament.
After declaring that he does not know the exact time at which the Conference of Presidents could be held, he declared that his intention is to be able to attend it “because wherever it is necessary to address questions which affect Euskadi and which interest the Basques, “The Lehendakari will defend the interests of Euskadi.”
