The 2018 City Budget was approved at this morning’s meeting.In total, the City Council of Artziniega will have a budget of 1.8 million euros, “2.2% more than last year”. According to Mayor Iñigo Gómez, the government team will have 139,000 euros more for investment.

Investments in 2018

Among the projects derived from the municipal budget, the replacement of the drinking water piping system (€600,000), the installation of both the swimming pool water system and the rest area (€300,000) or the improvement of the bus station in Plaza Alto (€35,000) have been highlighted. In addition, the collunpios of Our Mother of Art School will be renewed with a grant from the Basque Government (€ 19,000). In the cultural area, 1,500 euros have been set aside for Benjamin Respaldiza to sew the Old Town with sculptures.

The agreement between the PNV and the PP was essential for the approval of the municipal budgets, since the municipal government group needed the support of the PP to approve the proposal. The only condition of the PP has been the withdrawal of the agreement of the media Aiaraldea and the non-granting of any monetary item, not even in advertising.

Support for the promotion of the Basque language, down

Thus, the City Council will allocate 4,500 euros to projects for the promotion of the Basque language:Basque Week and other activities. In addition, €2,300 will be distributed through scholarships for those who wish to study Basque. In the same vein, the Cuadrilla de Ayala will be able to use 375€ to increase the use of the Basque language. However, in response to PP’s request, the government group has cancelled the agreement of the media outlet Aiaraldea to promote the normalization of the Basque language.

Over the past 7 years, Ayaraldea has received a grant of 1,500 euros for its work in the promotion of the Basque language, 0.60 euros per inhabitant. Unfortunately, the agreement has been severed. It operates thanks to funding from partners and institutions such as the digital media Aiaraldea Hoy in Basque and the newspaper Aiaraldea Hoy. The decision taken by the City Council of Artziniega violates the agreement reached in all the municipalities of the region.

The Jeltzales accuse EH Bil of not defending the budget in the Commission. The PP has confirmed its position. Thus, it is proposed to allocate the section of money of 1,500 euros to other projects in the municipal budget: To the Red Cross, DYA and scholarships to learn Basque. He described the work of the media as a key to the normalization of the Basque language and strongly condemned the decision: “It’s a clear veto, a completely undemocratic decision. The withdrawal of this item has been a necessary condition for the sole councillor of the PP to abstain in the vote and for the PNV to advance its budgets.” The nationalist coalition expresses its concern with anguish: “The PNV will have to justify to the Artziniega the decision that opposes the promotion of the Basque language, that separates Artziniega from the rest of the municipalities of Aiaraldea, and that puts obstacles to the only Basque communication project in the region.” Councilman Arkaitz San José adds that every fortnight the news for Artziniega and the region reaches all the parents of the town thanks to the media: “The withdrawal of the planned subsidy is very serious. It's JJ's responsibility. The media reaches all the districts of Artziniega through school or membership, contributing significantly to the use of the Basque language”.

Request for repair of roads and sidewalks

On the other hand, the situation of the roads to Artziniega, many of which are in poor condition, has been the subject of discussion in the plenary session. In the same vein, opposition groups have pointed out the obvious shortcomings of some of the town’s sidewalks, as well as the population when the question mark has been opened. They have also dealt with the twists and turns caused by pigeons in the town hall. As for the repairs of the Fronton Crystals, EH Bila insists on the inevitability of the completion of the work, since due to the rains the Artzinians have to use the infrastructures of other villages in the meantime.

In Our Hands and the Motion of the Pensioners

On the other hand, a number of motions have been submitted to the meeting. On the occasion of the popular consultations of 6 May, the City Council has joined the call of Aiaraldea Bat, although the PP has voted against it. The issue of pensioners and the political situation in the Catalan countries have also been discussed.

This news has been published by Aiaraldea and has been brought to our attention thanks to the Creative Commons license.