They denounce that the txosnas of Vitoria-Gasteiz are in danger because the Deputy wants to force them to implement Tickets BAI
- A few weeks after the beginning of the Vitoria-Gasteiz festivities, the Commission of Txosnas of Vitoria-Gasteiz has given an emergency press conference to denounce the intention of the Provincial Council of Álava to impose Tickets BAI on the txosnas. "They want to match the txosnas with any kind of private activity that aims at the economic benefit and well-being of citizens. If we do not change this situation, we will not be able to put txosnas this year," they said.
The Commission of Txosnas of Vitoria-Gasteiz has described as serious the intention of equating voluntary work of popular, collective and social models with private companies. In a press conference with the Alavesa Provincial Council, they warned that the imposition of the Ticket Bai system could "endanger" the popular festivities in Álava.
"We have dozens of concerts and activities prepared to fill the music txosnas and all kinds of activities for seven days. Much of the cultural offer of the festivities of Vitoria-Gasteiz is made in txosnas, and every year thousands of people come to this popular holiday space. We built txosnas thanks to the voluntary work of hundreds of people to make them a space where we can all enjoy,” they explained.
They have recalled that they are 43 years old and that there have been thousands of people in their areas who have worked as volunteers in one way or another and have enjoyed the programme from thousands of other sites.
"Therefore, we cannot understand that public institutions hinder the activity of txosnas, in this case using as an excuse the tax regulations and the fight against fraud. In fact, the popular festivities and the txosnas are the basis of the festive model that must be defended, because they are transmitters of cultural values that the vast majority of the people share", they have denounced.
They wanted to put in value that they organize themselves in a self-managed way and that they are not profit-making, as the money raised in the txosnas goes to associations and social actors. "For this reason, we ask the public institutions to act responsibly in the interest of some to privatize the festivities and not to obstruct the self-managed development of this model of popular and participatory festivities that emerged from the people and the people".
They have added that they have learned that in other public places in Vitoria-Gasteiz they have not asked for the application of Ticket BAI and have expressed concern about having an ideological measure against popular festivities and txosnas. They have asked the Member for the political will not to hinder popular festivities and for a way out of it. "In partnership, with political will, because we believe it is possible, we will continue to work towards the development of an alternative space, feminist and Euskaldun," he added.
