After heavy table rains, hundreds of citizens met in Vitoria on Saturday afternoon to fight the Tapia Law. Wind and photovoltaic parks, high-voltage power lines, TAV... The mobilization was colored by banners, images and messages against various projects planned in Álava, carried by neighbors from eleven localities of the territory.

The demonstration began in Plaza Bilbao and ended in the Plaza de la Virgen Blanca. In it, the organization summarizes the reasons why they oppose the Tapia Act. They denounced that the Tapia Law “centralizes” power, betting on the decision-making capacity of municipalities and councils: “They want us suddenly to take away the form of organization that we have maintained as a people over the centuries and that is linked to the earth and our beliefs.” The government wants to impose through the Tapia Act projects that are not accepted by municipalities and councils in the name of the environment and the energy transition and that go against nature, according to Araba Bizirike: “These projects are not an alternative to the ecological, social and energy crisis. They are not energy efficient, as their development requires large amounts of fossil energy and do not democratize the right to energy consumption.”

Tapia 2.0 Law

In December the Gasteiz Parliament passed the Tapia Act, which removes municipalities and gives the Government the decision on the projects that the Government calls the Maximum Public Interest Project (PGIP). To this day, the law says that these projects must be environmental and public promotion. However, the adaptation of the Tapia Law is under way, and if approved, the PPPs will be able to be privately promoted and linked to any area. “We’re not going to accept it!” they warned at the end of the demonstration.