The number of complaints about Spanish preference by EiTB against the Basque Country increases
- The Basque Observatory on Linguistic Rights has denounced that citizens’ complaints increase by informing and giving statements by representatives in EiTB in Spanish. The EiTB response, which has been common in these cases, has announced measures, but nothing concrete.
The Centre has denounced that since the state of alarm was decreed, linguistic and information rights of the Basques have been violated on several occasions. Complaints from citizens who have been treated by the Centre have increased "considerably", and "especially those related to EITB".
One of the complaints received by the Observatory is: "In the 'Gaur Egun' of ETB 1, as in recent weeks, the statements of the interviewees have to be heard in Spanish. We see 'Gaur Egun' because we want to inform and live in Basque and EITB introduces us to Spanish. Why that attitude?”
With regard to EiTB, they stressed that the repeated denunciation is that often the statements of the representatives of Osakidetza and the Basque Government in ETB1 are in Spanish, without subtitles and in most cases in Basque. Moreover, when introducing expressions in Basque, even if they are brief, the level of Basque is usually very low. Likewise, several citizens have complained that the use of Spanish has also increased in the Basque Country.
Pending unspecified measures
Since the objective and duty of EiTB "is to promote the normalization of the Basque Country and to guarantee the right to information for citizens", the Observatory has sent a letter to EITB. In his reply, EiTB has focused on the authorities, since in these cases "the information has been offered in Spanish". Since EITB has responded that it makes "efforts" to offer all the information in Basque, but that the authorities that lead this health crisis "be whatever", and that have offered their words only in Spanish because it is essential that they be offered without any mediation. They have announced that they will take action, but they have not specified what they are.
The director of the Observatory, Agurne Gaubeka, reminded EiTB that it is also up to the public to actively demand statements in Basque even when they are in Spanish, to ensure proper treatment, without neglecting linguistic rights.
