Oyarzabal said that the PP is betting on the link from Vitoria since 2015, which was in power in Álava, and the PP at the state level has also joined this vision. And yes, the Minister of Transport of the PP Iñigo de la Serra made it concrete during his visit to Pamplona in 2018. Then the head of UPN, Javier Esparza, was silent during the visit, although UPN is a supporter of Ezkio.

In the following foreign elections in 2019, the right of Navarre made clear its opinion of the hand of Navarre Suma: “We want the link from Ezkio, because if we are not going to be excluded from the European main rail transport line, in favour of Vitoria and Logroño”. And the PSN also made it clear, “we too, by Ezkio.”

But before the summer, when the Minister of Transport and Development approached Pamplona and announced that he had not yet taken the decision, the PSN did not dare to wager on Ezkio’s link: it is not so important where, “the fundamental thing is to do,” said the PSN’s foreign government advisor, Bernardo Ciriza.

Geroa Bai is also clear, from Ezkio yes or yes, and fully joins UPN in that, because otherwise Navarre will be marginalized. And Ramiro González, General Member of Álava, is also clear on the PNV: Left yes or yes.

Three times more expensive than Ezkio

For his part, Oyarzabal of the PP made it clear: “If we come to Moncloa, we will prefer the link of Vitoria.” If there is PP or PSOE in the Government of Spain, both prefer the Vitoria line, and considering that the infrastructure is paid by Madrid, it is understandable, more so at this time of budgetary incapacity: The expenditure forecast for the 75 kilometres of Vitoria-Gasteiz is EUR 704 million and for the 55 kilometres of Ezkio EUR 2,061 million, almost three times more.

It was thought that the Government of Spain was going to announce this election this year, but no, the PSN is not yet to rule out the option of Ezkio and the Government of Navarra has requested more geotechnical and geothermal studies of the complex line of Ezkio, a tunnel 30 kilometres below Aralar. This will delay the election by at least one more year. Meanwhile, construction works from Castejón to Pamplona continue, but at a slow pace in general, as we have just explained in this extensive report.