INTRODUCTION
The Law of Relations with Basque Communities and Centers Abroad entrusts the Advisory Board of Relations with Basque Communities to elaborate a four-year institutional plan of action with the purpose of promoting the activity of the Euskal Etxeak, as well as the establishment of services and rights that are considered in the Law both for Basque Centers and for the members of the Communities.
The Advisory Board, created last June, has been working during these months on this proposal that has become richer with the suggestions of the Delegates of the Basque Centers that met during the World Congress of Basque Communities celebrated in Vitoria-Gasteiz between the sixth and ninth of November. This proposal states both the specific steps that will start in a short time and long-term projects that will take more time to develop. Therefore it is an heterogeneous assortment of actions that will mature and take place during the next four years. In many cases the Institutions and the Basque Centers will have to work together in order to undertake these actions in the best possible conditions.
Before we describe both the services the Law considers and the specific actions suggested, the Advisory Board wants to share with the Congress some of the orientations and considerations that have guided their discussions during the four sessions that have taken place.
In the first place, the Advisory Board realises that it is time to make a qualitative change in the Relations between the Institutions in Euskadi and the Basque Communities abroad. The institutional normalisation of Euskadi and its increasing self-government, the fact we have a judicial and political framework such as the above-mentioned Law, and mostly the historical situation we perceive now, as we enter a new century, are an excellent background to give a new start to our joint venture and explore new ways of interrelation.
Working with the realistic frame of mind that must always preside institutional action, an index of priorities is established in the programs of action addressed to the Basque Centers, taking into consideration the material and economic conditions that we will face in the next few years. Our proposal is based on four axes of similar importance:
• To keep the structure and infrastructure of Basque Centers,
• to promote and maintain the Basque identity, culture and language,
• to establish effective channels of communication and information with Euskadi,
• to associate the younger generations to the life and activity of Basque Centers, and through them, with Euskadi.
Moreover, to guarantee the correct development of the Plan, the rhythm, datelines and systems of application of the measures, will be agreed upon with the Euskal Etxeak. These actions will be undertaken bearing in mind the necessities and managing capacity of each of the Basque Centers.
RIGHTS OF THE BASQUES ABROAD AND OBLIGATIONS OF
THE INSTITUTIONS ACCORDING TO THE LAW
The Advisory Board has drafted this Plan according to the basis contained in the Law of Relations with Basque Centers and Communities Abroad, especially those contained in articles 8 to 11 from Amendments II and Ill.
So, Article 8 deals with "services in favor of Basque centers" with these words:
"1. The public Administrations of the Autonomous Community, according to the jurisdiction of each, will provide the Basque Centers-Euskal Etxeak and the acknowledged Federations and Confederations, according to this law and to what the regulations will establish:
a) Public news on social, cultural and economical matters prepared and filed by the public Administrations of the Basque Autonomous Community. Every Basque Center will receive the Official Bulletin of the Basque Country upon request, free of charge.
b) the possibility of sharing the different forms of social, cultural and economic life in the Basque Country, that will contribute to its spreading out.
c) The same opportunities that associations in the territory of the Basque Autonomous Community have to enjoy our cultural heritage.
d) The right to ask the Basque Autonomous Community to share those activities organized by the Center in favor of Basque culture.
e) The right to be a part of programs, missions and delegations organized by Basque institutions in their own countries.
f) The right to obtain advice on social, economic and business matters about the Basque Country.
g) The right to have an audio-visual and publishing fund that will provide a better awareness of history, culture, Euskera, and the Basque social reality, that can also be shown or distributed among the members of Basque communities.
h) The collaboration in activities for the broadcasting of the situation of Basque communities by the media of the Autonomous Community.
i ) The right to be beard by the Council mentioned in article 12 of this law, and to attend the Basque Communities Congress mentioned in article 13.
j) The organization of courses to learn Euskera.
2. The Basque Centers may get financial or any kind of aid from Basque public Administrations in order to fulfill the objectives that the present law has established.
3. The general Administration of the Basque Autonomous Community depending on budget availability, and for the purposes stated in this law will give its support especially for:
a) Covering the working expenses of Basque Centers.
b) The maintenance and improvement of the infrastructures of Basque Centers.
c) The promotion of activities or programs related to the Basque Country, developed by Basque Centers, Federations or Confederations.
d) The welfare of members, especially in cases of extreme need".
Article 9 refers to the "Rights of the members of Basque communities", and envisages for them:
"a) To enjoy the Basque cultural heritage and especially the libraries, records, museums and other cultural assets and institutions in the same conditions as the citizens living in the Basque Autonomous Community.
b) To know and learn Euskera. The Basque centers will be given the means to organize Euskera courses, provided that the budget makes it possible.
The systems and procedures according to which the members of Basque communities will be able to obtain the diplomas of Euskera given by the corresponding office of the Administration of the Basque Autonomous Community, will be established according to a number of rules."
The "services in favor of the members of Basque communities" are stated in Article 10, with these words:
"1. In order to let the members of the Basque communities share the reality in Euskadi, the public Administrations of the Basque Autonomous Community will try, in the framework of their particular jurisdiction:
- To promote educational, cultural and economic exchanges for the members of Basque communities.
b) To organize more didactic activities such as courses and audio-visual programs to increase the awareness of Basque culture, history, economy and finally reality, among the members of Basque communities.
c) To make public notices of aid for the promotion of Basque culture and economy.
d) To encourage the Universidad del Pals Vasco to acknowledge the diplomas given by other universities as their own, provided that these other universities are connected with the purpose of this law, and their diplomas are similar to those of the Universidad del Pals Vasco, according to the interuniversitary agreements that have been established.
e) To help spread an awareness of the situation of the Basque communities living outside the Autonomous Community, using their own media and written or audio-visual publications.
f) To provide technical and judicial advice upon request, for the establishment of firms in the Basque Country.
2. All the services mentioned above will be provided through the Basque centers".
Finally, Article 11 deals with the "services in favor of the members of Basque communities referred to in article 3, paragraphs 1 and 2":
" 1. Those persons referred to in article 3, paragraphs 1 and 2, who return to the Autonomous Community, and meet the requirements of the corresponding programs, will be able to get health coverage and social assistance, without having to prove previously that they have been living here for a period, provided that:
a) They have been living outside the Country for a continuous period immediately prior to their return, equal to or for a longer period than the previous residence that the non-emigrants have to prove.
b) On their return they live in the Basque Autonomous Community.
2. Moreover, the persons referred to in article 3, paragraphs 1 and 2, that have returned to the Basque Country and meet the rest of the requirements of the summons, will not be asked to prove a previous period of residence in order to apply for social housing.
In the cases of people in great need, the summons for the granting of social housing will be able to consider the condition of returnee as an asset to value in the applications, or to keep a percentage of the houses aside for these cases.
3. The people referred to in the present article will be able to get support in order to help them come back to the Basque Autonomous Community provided they have decided to live here. "
SECTOR PROPOSALS
MATERIAL SUPPORT TO BASQUE CENTERS
- Grants for the organization of activities
The Basque Government, through the General Secretary of Foreign Action, will assign an increasing amount of economic resources to partly subsidize the ordinary activities of the Euskal Etxeak, as well as cultural, folkloric and linguistic events. The aids will be equally assigned, so that each Euskal Etxea, the strong and historical ones as well as the ones that are starting today, will be considered equal and, at most we will work on the principle that the weaker ones need more help. These aids will be ruled by Decree, they will be annual and the summons by which they will be established will be made known to all concerned.
- Grants for the maintenance and improvement of infrastructure
Budget resources will also be assigned for the maintenance and improvement of facilities of the Basque Centers, as well as to support the creation of new Euskal Etxeak. Special attention will be given to provide the Euskal Etxeak with communication and computing equipment to improve and speed up their communication systems both with their members and with Euskadi.
Moreover, the Basque Government undertakes the commitment of approaching the Basque credit and banking entitles to see if there is a possibility of establishing preferential financing lines for the Basque Centers in their operations of buying properties or renovating old ones, that involve a lot of money.
CULTURE, YOUTH AND SPORTS
- Shipment of publishing funds on Basque subjects and grants for the new publications
The Book Service of the Culture Department, that distributes books and publications to the public libraries of the Basque Autonomous Community will extend its activity to the libraries of the Basque Centers in order to update the existing funds with recent publications, with an annual budget of 5.000.000 pesetas. This will enable the Euskal Etxeak to start a plan of updating and renewal of their libraries. These shipments will take place once a year.
There will also be a collaboration in the editing of books, magazines and audio-visual material by the Basque Centers. This aid will never be higher than 50% of the global cost of the edition.
The Culture Department will undertake the shipment of publications (books, cassettes), Euskera courses, didactic material, courses for learning and improving Euskera. On the other hand, the participation of Basques from outside Euskadi in intensive courses in the different euskaltegiak of Euskadi and the sending of Euskera teachers to the Euskal Etxeak that request them, are still being discussed. Because of the complex nature of the program, its organization and financing, it will have to be carefully planned by the different Basque Centers interested in it, the Culture Department, and the General Secretary of Foreign Action.
In response to the unanimous request of the Congress, the Basque Government will with the help of Euskaltzaindia study the best way to celebrate the International Day of Euskera.
The Sports Office of the Basque Government and the Basque Pelota Federation will respond to the needs and requests of sports material, as they have been doing until now, improving the regularity and quality of their aid. At the beginning the grants will not amount to more than 2.000.000 pesetas a year. But the sending of pelota teachers to the Euskal Etxeak that request them is also being discussed, as it happens with Euskera. Anyway, these teachers will have to form new teachers, so that the continuity of the plans is assured. Rural sports will also be promoted.
In order to encourage this kind of games all over the world, the Congress has stated the wish to found an "International Association of Basque Sports".
The Youth Office will help in organising stays of young Basques from abroad in the working camps established in Euskadi. Other projects will be discussed with young groups from the Basque Centers to enable youths from the Euskal Etxeak to keep in touch with Euskadi and its Institutions and to come to really know our Country.
- Use of cultural infrastructure and facilities for young people
The Basque Government and regional County Councils will encourage the members of Basque Communities and Centers to use their cultural, sports and youth infrastructure. For this purpose, the General Secretary of Foreign Action, the County Councils and the Basque Centers will create the suitable information channels so that the Euskal Etxeak receive all the programs on hostels, cultural campaigns, artistic, craftmanship, or specialized courses that may be useful for members of Basque Communities abroad, especially for the young people. A system of quotas and reserved places will be elaborated for this purpose.
The Basque Institutions will collaborate in upkeeping and improving other cultural manifestations related to Basque music and folklore from the Basque Centers, in the same terms as those expressed in the paragraph about Euskera.
COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION
- Agile and Stable communication systems
The Basque Government has made a commitment to substantially intensify the information stream on Euskadi and its Institutional, economical, cultural and social news. For this purpose, in six months it will determine the most suitable elements and channels of communication to guarantee that the Basque Communities abroad are well informed on what happens in their Country of origin. For the moment the best channels for this information seem to be the written word and computing. Therefore, all necessary efforts will be made in order to create a communication and computing network to link all the Euskal Etxeak together and with the Basque Institutions.
- Euskal Irrati Telebista broadcasted by satellite
Euskal Irrati Telebista (EITB) has decided to start, in a year, or at most in two years, broadcasting via satellite a television channel and two radio stations that will cover in the beginning South America, Mexico, Central America and the southern part of the United States, and will later on reach the whole American territory and Europe. This is a huge project that will enable EITB to overcome its geographical limitations and reach every corner where there are Basque Communities or an interest in Basque reality.
EITB will daily broadcast for several hours a competitive and varied programming with the purpose of giving public service and promoting Basque language and culture. There will be programs both in Euskera and Spanish. The programming will include news, Basque soap operas, documentaries, informative programs and sporting events. Pelota and Basque rural sports will take a special place in this channel, as well as the soccer matches played by Basque teams.
The radio programs will be the same in time and content as those that Radio Euskadi offers in Spanish, and Euskal Irratia in Euskera, in the Basque Country, 24 hours a day.
Before launching the project EITB wants to make this service known among the potential clients, for which purpose the Basque Centers network will be very useful. EITB needs this project to be well promoted in America in order to be able to place this channel in the most interesting cable television circuits.
- Prize for stories of the diaspora
The Congress thinks that the history and experiences of the Basques of the diaspora should be known, and therefore organizes a contest to give a prize every four years to literary or audio-visual work on the subject.
EDUCATION
- Exchanges in schools and universities
The Basque Government, together with the Universities based in Euskadi and other educational institutions, will establish the means to enable the university students, postgraduates, and teachers from Basque Communities, to stay and be trained in Euskadi. Exchanges with teachers and students of education institutions based in countries with a relevant Basque population will also be promoted.
Moreover, agreements will be encouraged between the Basque Centers and the Hotel Business Schools in Euskadi, in order to make exchanges, courses and assistance of Basque cooks abroad.
ECONOMY AND FOREIGN TRADE
The Basque Centers will be consulted in the design and planning of Basque commercial and economic missions in the countries that have an organized Basque Community. Moreover, representatives from these communities will work in the official Basque delegations. Any economic project that the Basque Centers might suggest will be heard and studied in order to promote the bilateral relations between Euskadi and those other countries.
- Introduction of firms in Euskadi
All Basques from abroad wishing to introduce a firm or business in Euskadi will be guaranteed legal and technical advice from the corresponding Institutions.
TOURISM AND GASTRONOMY
- Organization of Basque weeks
The organization of Basque weeks will be promoted with gastronomic, artistic, cultural, sporting, and movie presentations in the Basque Centers or with their collaboration.
The Basque Government will consult the Basque Centers in the design of promotion campaigns of image and tourism. To that purpose it will provide them with all available touristic and promotion material of Euskadi (posters, leaflets etc.).
The Basque Government will provide logistic support to the Basque Centers in order to attract organized groups of tourists to Euskadi from their own countries.
SOCIAL ASSISTANCE
- Social assistance in situations of extreme need.
We will experimentally create with the collaboration of the Basque Centers a system to make Euskadi's solidarity reach those members of Basque communities that are enduring situations of extreme need, so as to cover the most elementary needs.
- Plan of Voluntary Social Coverage in Euskadi
The Basque Government will discuss with the Basque savings entitles the possibility of creating a Voluntary Plan of Social Coverage in Euskadi, specifically for members of Basque Communities.
- Aid for returnee members from Basque communities
The Basque Institutions will establish grants to pay in part the travel expenses for those people who have decided to return to Euskadi forever.
- Social services for the returnees
The members of Basque communities returning to Euskadi forever, provided they meet the requirements described in Law 8/1994 (article 3, paragraphs 1 and 2), and provided they are in the scope of application of these programs, will have the right to receive social assistance in the same conditions as the Basque citizens. The application areas would be: the minimum insertion salary, non-taxpaying pensions, pensions of the Social Welfare Fund, Social Emergency grants (housing and basic needs), the Basic Social Unit network and Home Assistance. On the subject of Senior Citizens, there would also be Homes and Clubs, Assistential Day Centers, Rest Homes, soup kitchens and subsidized associations.
- Creation of a program of stays for members of Basque communities over 65
The Basque Government and the regional County Councils will study the best way and the real demand among the elderly people from the Communities for this program of stays in Euskadi. In any case the users will share the financing of the program according to their economic resources.
HEALTH
- Medical and hospital assistance
The Basque Government, through the Health Department and Osakidetza Service, will guarantee the medical and hospital assistance to the members of Basque Communities that happen to be in Euskadi, whether they are on a temporary basis or for a definite stay in our country.
- Training of Basque doctors from abroad in Euskadi
Doctors of Basque descent will have the right to practice their profession both in hospitals in Euskadi and in Public Health Area institutions. The only requirements to enter this program will be to have the corresponding specialization, and to be registered as a member of a Basque Center.
HOUSING
The members of Basque Communities wanting to come back to Euskadi definitely, provided they are included in article 3, paragraphs 1 and 2 and as long as they meet the requirements of the summons, will be able to apply for social housing without having to prove they have lived here previously. Moreover, the Basque Institutions will include in the Directing Housing Plan the necessary dispositions in order to make article 11, paragraph 2 of the Law of Relations with Basque Communities and Centers Abroad come true when it states that "in the cases of people in great need, the summons for the granting of social housing will be able to consider the condition of returnee as an asset to value in the applications, or to keep a percentage of the houses aside for these cases.
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