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INPRIMATU
The Order of the Basque Country of Navarre Suma in Pamplona is already in force
  • The City Council of Pamplona/Iruña has established with the new ordinance an "asymmetrical bilingualism". Among other options, the City Council will be able to evaluate the Basque Country to cover jobs and will reduce the presence of the Basque Country in municipal announcements by 75%.
Euskalerria irratia @fm983irratia 2020ko ekainaren 23a
Joan den azaroan euskalgintzako eragileek Iruñeko udaletxearen aurrean protesta egin zuten arauon kontra. (Argazkia: Euskalerria Irratia)

On Monday the new ordinance regulating the use and promotion of Euskera in the City of Pamplona and its public institutional sector entered into force. The mayor, Enrique Maia, explained in November his intention to amend the ordinance. "We recovered the 1997 ordinance, almost in its entirety," he explained on that occasion. The previous Basque ordinance was approved in 1997. It was replaced by the 2019 rule, when the Quadripartite Government was in power. This 97 text was the starting point of the sovereign coalition for the elaboration of a new ordinance. The change was approved with the votes of the PSN in the plenary of the City Hall

As explained by the Council, the rule establishes an "asymmetrical bilingualism" in relations between administrations and citizens, and submits the use of one language or another to the will of the recipient.

As a general criterion, the residents and neighbours of Pamplona have the right to address the City Hall, both in Spanish and in Basque, orally or in writing. The Administration shall respond in the oral talks in the language initially used or in the Spanish or bilingual language in the written communications.

In addition, as stated in the explanatory statement, the text regulates the bilingual nature of the municipal image, differentiating it according to the personal scope of information, and reduces the presence of the Basque Country to 25% of the total advertising, compared to the 100% established by the regulations in force since May 2019. In addition, the text makes it optional for Euskera to be valued in the provision of jobs of the Local Entity. "Always ensuring that there are jobs that need the knowledge of the Basque Country, but not in all the calls in general," they said.

The ordinance states, in the same exhibition, that the Basque language is one of the two languages of the city, and the City Council undertakes to take the necessary measures to promote it, given that it is a minority language and a cultural heritage, which requires special attention for its maintenance and use.

In this sense, the contents are adapted, and Pamplona coincides with the so-called "mixed zone". The standard was definitively approved by the municipal plenary held on 5 March. Its text and development are in accordance with the principles and provisions of Foral Law 18/1986, of December 15, of the Vascuence, and its Development Regulations, approved by Foral Decree 103/2017.