The position of the Spanish Government and ADIF was known, but now the Spanish Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, confirmed it in his visit to Navarra on Thursday: The High-Speed Train (TAV) has prioritized the journey between Pamplona and Vitoria-Gasteiz via the Sakana.

Puente has made these statements with the president of Navarra and candidate for re-election, María Chivite: "Frankly, Ezkio's option is the one we get into trouble," the Socialist leader said. The minister has acknowledged that these are "technical" problems, as there are difficulties in obtaining permits to carry out surveys by municipalities and private individuals. However, he has also pointed out that this itinerary has "technical and temporal complexities". "We cannot hide that it is the option of Vitoria-Gasteiz, on paper, the most acceptable," he added.

In recent years it has been doubted that the Spanish Government will decide where to draw up the Basque Y that connects with Navarre.

On the one hand, through the ecological corridor of Altzania is the one that would unite Pamplona with Ezdox-Itsaso. The route, which would be 55 kilometres, includes a tunnel of 21 kilometres in the area of Aralar and Aizkorri, and a cost of some EUR 2 billion. On the other hand, there is the possibility of a route between Pamplona and Vitoria on the Sakana, in this case with many viaducts but with fewer tunnels – 5.7 kilometres round – and much more economical: approximately EUR 700 million.

The best option, the third?

Political parties, governments and MEPs have opted for different positions in the face of one or the other, so the reasons given have been the "connection" with Europe or the journey times between Bilbao and Pamplona.

In the words of Puente, the spokeswoman for the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, Irune Lasa, has reiterated her position in favor of the link of Ezdox-Itsaso, "a country bet". The TAV station is already built, without knowing if it is going to be used for it.

The polls ended in June 2024 – the words of Puente indicate that they are still under construction – and the Spanish Government will then officially announce its final decision.

In any case, the anti-TAV groups and in favour of the social train and the environmental groups do not see either one option or another for the damage it would cause them, and they propose a third cheaper and simpler option: to put the third lane of the current line to achieve that connection.