- The mayors of Urdazubi, Zugarramurdi, Baztan, Etxalar and Bera have sent a letter to the prefect of the Atlantic Pyrenees asking cross-border workers to open the usual border crossing points in our villages.
In fact, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, France decided to close most of the border crossings between Lapurdi and Navarra; not that of Dantxarinea. This has caused great difficulties in Baztan-Bidasoa, particularly for cross-border workers. Over the years there have been a number of events and situations in which borders have been particularly monitored. In the case of the G7 in Biarritz, it was decided to monitor the border closely, but the border crossing points, subject to controls, remained open.
Due to COVID-19, forced displacement is only allowed. Those who have to go to work every day above the border have no choice but to take the car and cross the border to get to the place.
In this situation from Sara, Senpere, Urdazubi or Zugarramurdi, to Bera, Etxalar or Lesaka or vice versa, different alternative routes must be taken and workers are forced to make long journeys by car, increasing the risk and the economic cost.
That is why the mayors of Bera, Etxalar, Baztan, Urdazubi and Zugarramurdi have asked M. To Prefect Eric Spitz: ‘to open our usual and usual border crossing points to frontier workers’.
