Issue 67 Year 2005 SPECIAL MONOGRAPHIC ISSUE NewNew PoliticalPolitical Statute,Statute, aa proposalproposal forfor coexistencecoexistence Issue 67 Year 2005 Aguirre, AURKIBIDEA / TABLE OF CONTENTS centenario del primer Lehendakari vasco GAURKO GAIAK / CURRENT EVENTS: New Basque Statute 3 • Opening letter. A proposal for coexistence. 4 • Chronicle of a proposal. Issue 67 - Year 2005 AUTHOR Eusko Jaurlaritza-Kanpo Harremanetarako Idazkaritza Nagusia Basque Government-General Secretariat for Foreign Action C/ Navarra, 2 01007 VITORIA-GASTEIZ Telephone: (+34) 945 01 7900 [email protected] DIRECTOR Josu Legarreta Bilbao 6 • The Lehendakari's EDITOR statement to the Congress Eusko Jaurlaritzaren Argitalpen of Deputies in Madrid in Zerbitzu Nagusia defense of the New Statute Servicio Basque Government Central Publication Service for the Basque Country. COORDINATION AND 14 • The Lehendakari's EDITORIAL OFFICE reply to party A. Zugasti (Kazeta5) representatives. LAYOUT AND DESIGN didart 16 • 100 questions . 100 answers. PHOTOGRAPHS Photo Archive, Office of the President and EFE PRINTING Xxxxxxxxxxx ISSN: 1579-4210 Further information and the complete texts of the articles cited in this issue are available by visiting: www.nuevoestatutodeeuskadi.net NEW POLITICAL STATUTE Aurkezpena Introduction n a plenary session held on Covenant on Economic, Social, December 30th, the Basque and Cultural Rights. Parliament passed by an The right of the Basque people Iabsolute majority the to decide their own future is proposal to reform the based on respecting their right Political Statute for the as citizens of the different Basque Autonomous legal and political spheres Community. Under Spanish A proposal for making up the Basque region, law statutory amendments to be consulted when it comes may be introduced under to deciding their own future. certain conditions. On coexistence In other words, this implies February 2nd the Basque respecting the decision of the executive, Juan José citizens of the Basque Ibarretxe, defended the accord words pronounced by the Autonomous Community, the adopted by the Basque Parliament Lehendakari before the Congress decision of the citizens of the at a plenary session of the of Deputies, as well as learning Community of Navarra, and the Congress of Deputies in Madrid. A about the main points of a decisions of the citizens of the large majority of the Congress, document that has been in the Basque territories of Iparralde – consisting of statewide political mouths of so many commentators Lapurdi, Behe Nafarroa and parties, defeated the proposal and leading political pundits. The Zuberoa. spearheaded by the Lehendakari. prologue to the New Statute for In agreement with these three Nevertheless, the entire political the Basque Country reads as pillars, and as an integral part of process revolving around this New follows: "The Basque Country, or the Basque nation, the citizens of Political Statute has generated Euskal Herria, is a nation with its the Basque Autonomous major interest from the media and own identity and a member of the Community, comprising the an unusual amount of expectation, community of European peoples. territories of Alava, Bizkaia and even beyond our border, regarding It has a unique historic, social and Gipuzkoa, in exercising our the demands of Basque cultural heritage, geographically democratic will and consistent with institutions. In order to respond to spread over seven territories respecting and updating our such expectation and to the governed today in three political historical rights set forth in the clamor for information from divisions in two different states. Statute of Gernika and the Spanish Basque communities, Euskal The Basque people have the Constitution, hereby express our Etxeak magazine is featuring a right to decide their own future, as wish to formalize a new political special issue with the the most approved by an absolute majority covenant for coexistence. pertinent documents on the of the Basque Parliament on 15 The political covenant subject. February 1990, and in accordance envisages a new relationship with The information in this issue with the right to self- Spanish state, based on free will provided readers with an determination internationally association and compatible with understanding of the history and recognized in the the International the possibilities of development of background surrounding the Covenant on Civil and Political a composite, plurinational debate. You will also find the exact Rights and in the International asymmetric state. Issue 67 Year 2005 3 ESTATUTU POLITIKO BERRIA The chronicle of a proposal Joan zen otsailaren 2an Madrilgo buruzko eztabaida ireki nahiean parlamentuan atzera botatako eta bide batez, akordioari proposamena ez zen, askok hala ateak zabaltzeko eztabaida uste bazuten ere, bezperako proposatzen. Hona hemen azken gauza. Urteak zeramatzan bost urte hauetako kronologia Lehendakariak marko politikoari laburra. 23 FEB. 2000 "Common ground for coexistence": conference given by the Lehendakari at Club Siglo XXI in Madrid Basque President Juan José Ibarretxe analyzes the outcome of the elections held on March 12th 2000. According to the Lehendakari, in spite of election results, the so-called "Basque problem" or Basque issue, and Euskadi's place in Spain, were unsolved issues, regardless of the country's transition to democracy. At this conference the Lehendakari presents a model for coexistence and normalization in Basque society. 1 JUNE 2000 "A road to peace". The Lehendakari speaks in Bilbao a political initiative founded on Lehendakari Juan José Ibarretxe At a conference held on June 1st three different commitments in underscores what he sees as the crux 2000 at the Palacio Euskalduna terms of approach and of the political situation:peace is not entitled:"A road to peace:a common development. The first commitment sovereignty; peace is not nation- ground for coexistence," Juan José calls for principals of governing building; peace is not the Ibarretxe analyzes the current based on the right to life and Constitution.The Lehendakari makes political situation in the Basque individual freedom. Secondly is the a commitment to working towards Country, and explains the steps that democratic commitment to defend building a new road to hope,based on need to be taken to promote peace the decisions made democratically his threefold commitment. and political normalization. In by Basque society. The third Ibarretxe's view, to attain commitment is to promote dialogue 25 OCT. 2000 normalization and coexistence in between all political parties for the A democratic commitment to Basque society, a forum for dialogue purpose of work together to carry comply with the Statute of between all of the Basque political out the decisions of Basque society Gernika in its entirety parties needs to be created in an with regard to their future. To mark the twenty-first atmosphere of non-violence. anniversary of the Statute of 19 OCT. 2000 Gernika, during the debate on self- 22 SEPT. 2000 An initiative for peace and government, Lehendakari Juan General Policy Debate coexistence José Ibarretxe insists on the need In the 2000 debate on General In an October 19th 2002 address for a democratic commitment to Policy, Juan José Ibarretxe presents before the Basque Parliament, comply with and respect the 4 Issue 67 Year 2005 NEW POLITICAL STATUTE Statutory Agreement in its society. During the second session, and sufficient capacity to establish entirety. He therefore makes a Ibarretxe was re-elected its own framework of relations. In threefold democratic commitment Lehendakari with the votes from line with this argument, the to recapture the spirit of EAJ/PNV, EA and EB/IU. Lehendakari sets the guidelines for consensus, mutual respect and a new political agreement. tolerance that prevailed in the 28 SEPT. 2001 Statutory Agreement and bore Debate on Pacification, Political 27 SEPT. 2002 fruit in the form of the Statute of Normalization and Dialogue Parliamentary Debate on General Gernika. At a plenary session of the Basque Policy Parliament held to debate the subject Lehendakari Juan José 20 DEC. 2000 of pacification, Lehendakari Juan Ibarretxe presents his new Political An ethical commitment to José Ibarretxe says that ETA can no Agreement for Coexistence at a defend the right to life and longer be a reason for stifling plenary session of the Basque liberty for all people political debate on issues in the Parliament. The Lehendakari As President of the Basque Country Basque Country. He adds that by explains how to ensure full and in response to the making political normalization compliance of the Statute of overwhelming sentiment of Basque dependent upon an end to violence Gernika and advance towards a new society, in this manifesto Juan Jose provides ETA with the key to the political agreement with Spain. Ibarretxe makes an ethical future of Basque society. Ibarretxe commitment in defense of the right expresses his belief that the solution Among the central principles of of all people to life and liberty. The to the political problem in the Basque his proposal are recognition of the purpose of this undertaking is to Country must be approached through Basque people's national identity repudiate all forms of violence and dialogue. and the right to decide their own to express the commitment of future. Ibarretxe proposes that an Basque society to defend personal 19 OCT. 2001 autonomous Basque judiciary be set freedoms and respect the spirit and Institutional Manifesto