About 1,000 NATO military personnel are deployed at the Araka (Vitoria-Gasteiz) military base for manoeuvring
- The anti-militarist group in Vitoria-Gasteiz has denounced the manoeuvres and lack of information on the part of the organization. The collective Emakumeok Gerraren aurkako taldea calls for a mobilization for Friday, under the motto “NATO ez! Neither in Vitoria nor anywhere!”
The military involved in the military operation began to arrive in Araka in late October, and "by mid-November" the last military will arrive or arrive, as can be read on the Ministry of Defence website. Of those close to 1,000 military personnel, some will be accommodated outside Araka headquarters in hotels in the capital of Alavesa. The one in Vitoria-Gasteiz has denounced the manoeuvres of anti-militarist groups, which have collected information on websites and the media. In this regard, it has underlined the scarcity and obscurity of the information being transmitted.
Several media outlets have stressed that NATO military manoeuvres will not use "real fire" in the area. The English version of the Ministry of Defence website provides more information: “On 1 January 2022, the NATO Rapid Expansion Headquarters in Betera (Valencia) will assume the role of NATO War Corps for one year. This means that it must be in a position to exercise command and control of five divisions (...). To do so, they must be previously accredited through a Preparatory Assessment of Struggle”. The military manoeuvres have been baptized with the name of Steadfast Leda 21, in English Steadfast Leda.
Against the City Hall of Vitoria-Gasteiz and the Council of Álava
The Gasteiztarra group has pointed out that both the City of Vitoria-Gasteiz and the Council of Álava have approved several statements against NATO and militarism, so the manoeuvres to be carried out violate these claims. On May 18, 1990, the Plenary of the City of Vitoria-Gasteiz approved, among other measures, “Avoid any military action or stop in the municipality”. In the Motion of 18 March 2016 approved: “1.- The Plenary of the City of Vitoria-Gasteiz takes note and ratifies the refusal of this people to NATO 30 years ago, considering that the decision at that time is entirely topical. 2.- The Plenary of the City of Vitoria-Gasteiz regrets that the Spanish Government has not taken into account the decision of Euskal Herria against NATO and reiterates that all political and institutional actors must respect the decisions democratically made by the Basque citizenship.” The General Boards of Álava approved a motion with the same content a month later, in April 2016.
Mobilisation on Friday
On Friday at 19:30 the Women’s War Group has called for a mobilisation to denounce NATO manoeuvres, under the slogan “NATO ez! Neither in Vitoria nor anywhere!” The Vitorian group has called to join the Vitorians: “It is up to the citizens of Vitoria-Gasteiz and Álava to return to the streets, to denounce NATO and its militarism that this ‘no’ is still very valid.”
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