The report reveals that the Basque publishers sector and book production in general have not been completed since the 2008 crisis. Since then, rather than rising, public aid has declined considerably. Editors’ associations criticize this policy: “It is incomprehensible that in 2009, the year after the crisis, aid amounted to around EUR 4,400,000 and was currently around EUR 1,600,000, which is 63.36% less.”

Publishers’ associations believe that a new crisis will be added to the downstream crisis. Sales are expected to fall by 25% in the first quarter. The same applies, in particular, to production and creation in Basque. Sales in Euskera in the period 2008-2018 decreased by 14% (from 43 to 37 million euros). By 2020 they forecast sales of 67 million and fear a 20% drop as a result of the coronavirus crisis, 13 million fewer.

Euskera, at a disadvantage

The editors have highlighted the importance of culture in Basque as an essential element. They say that Euskera is a minority language: “In the evolution of a people with two official languages, one of them in absolute disadvantage, being a minority and, therefore, in a situation of grave continuity and development”. They demand measures to protect the Basque people. If they do not catch it, they say, “we may still be Basque Country, but immersion in Basque will be poorer.”

Concrete measures

The Basque editors make numerous and detailed proposals to the Department of Culture of the Basque Country, including: That publishers, bookstores and distributors can suspend the quotation, open a credit line of EUR 2.5 million for them without interest, increase by 25% the support for literary publications, create a book bonus, initiate public campaigns for literary promotion or increase the purchases of public libraries.