Control of public money and the situation of the public media are two indicators of the maturity of democracy taken from a much longer list. These indicators are very contradictory to the attitude of the authorities: they do not love the former at all, but they go crazy with the media because they regard them as a powerful tool for strengthening the impact of the authorities.

There are two ways of organizing control of public money. One, that of the Mediterranean, Spanish or Greek, which was also assumed by the Basque Autonomous Community: the control of public money is in the hands of trusted representatives of the political parties, who have no credibility. The other model, of course, is one of the most advanced in democracy: the courts of auditors are the technical institutions. Parliaments elect as president a professional auditor who needs a large majority and the rest are officials to ensure independence. This type of control system can ensure transparency and improve the efficiency of administrations.

One of the last examples to prove that copying the Madrid model is a bad business: The internal dirt of pp has also spoiled the Spanish control system. In the Spanish Court of Auditors (ECHR), which nobody knew, 900 people work, according to the source. The last report on party accounts, for example, dates back to six years. And don’t ask when are the latest taxes on the Royal House, the Army or the major municipalities, because you won’t find it. Obviously, before they enter hospitals or schools, there is where to cut the scissors.

As in the control of public money, professionalism and criticity, the two sides of the same coin, are also essential in the media. The new leader of EiTB has explained that the professionalism and reinforcement of the Basque country are the two axes of the future of the entity. Even if it is not a bad starting point, I would add two others: on the one hand, make it clear what the natural environment of EITB is, since our people themselves are rather small to reduce it even further. And finally, it would also be good to realize the cost of looking at Madrid when it is being copied, because, as in control, it would also be surprising if something good came from there...