The programme has taken a long time. The march started at 09:30 in the morning and extended until 14:00 hours. The first to speak was Maddalen Iriarte, of EH Bildu, who asked for the government to appear before the media. Lehendakari, Iñigo Urkullu, has said that he will give explanations "late and necessarily", to start talking about it. In any event, it has called for this opportunity and called on the government to "put aside the shadows that have been so far". Iriarte reminds of the two deceased workers, Joaquín Beltrán and Alberto Sololuze. He has said that we are facing three crises: a health crisis that directly affects 41,000 people and indirectly more; an environmental crisis; and a “credibility crisis” of the government. In this regard, it considered "understandable" the difficulties and deficiencies that have occurred following the dismantling of the Zaldibar landfill. Not so the following “lack of transparency and prudence”. Iriarte has stated that the Government is “overtaken and uncoordinated”: “It has not lived up to this society.”

Ecuadornews Ecuadornews Ecuadornews Ecuadornews Ecuadornews Ecuadornews Ecuadornews Ecuadornews Ecuadornews Ecuadornews English Español In Martínez’s words, the Government initially denied the facts of the Zaldibar landfill, which made them less important, and by the time it realized the magnitude of gravity it was “too late.” I would like to ask the Environment Minister, Iñaki Arriola, in his first speech: “In June, serious deficiencies were identified in the landfill, what measures were taken? The initial landfill project is not the one that was carried out later, why were the permits not requested again?”

Like the previous ones, Alfonso Alonso, of the pp, reminded the two deceased workers before criticizing the government's action. He has accused the members of the government of wanting to "steer responsibilities down and sideways" and of having carried out poor management. The lack of information has, in Alonso's view, led to the public's discomfort and concern. It has called on the Government to provide information and avoid the "act of pride".

Government response: zero errors

Lehendakari, Iñigo Urkullu, has taken the floor after opposition after reading a text prepared earlier. Urkullu has drawn against the image represented by the opposition of the Abertzale left. It reports a rapid, coordinated, appropriate and transparent response. He explained that on 6 February he met the Security Council, Estefanía Beltrán de Heredia, and that at the same time he decided to set up the Crisis Bureau. The table was made up of the Security Adviser and the Deputy Counsellor, the Deputy General of Bizkaia, the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and the Emergency Managers. Lehendakari said that an "immediate" response was given to the presence of asbestos in the Basque Country. As well as professional care and comprehensive information to families “from the start” and “at all times”. On more than one occasion, Urkullu stressed that the responsibility lies with the company and that the government is acting in a "subsidiary" manner. He has repeated on several occasions that what happened was “exceptional and unpredictable.” He has defended his personal work as lehendakari: “My fundamental role has been to invigorate, activate and ensure the best possible response in each area of responsibility. All with a special discretion for the pain suffered by families.”

Urkullu criticizes the opposition

“Faced with a tragedy like the one we have received, there are two alternatives: division or unity,” said Urkullu, criticizing the opposition: “Every time a borderline situation occurs, the best and the worst of human nature appears.” In his words, Lehendakari is entitled “to promote common work and unity”. He has appealed to the unity of society and to the political forces. The opposition has called on lehendakari to be self-critical, and the opposition has asked lehendakari. “I have no problem making self-criticism,” he said in a moment. He then pointed out that he “feels a lot” about the mistakes that “have been able to make” in the response to the crisis, without giving more details.

Along with Urkullu, four counselors appeared to give explanations: The Minister of Environment, Territorial Planning and Housing, Iñaki Arriola; the Minister of Security, Estefanía Beltrán de Heredia; the Minister of Labor and Justice, María Jesús San José; and the Minister of Health, Nekane Murga. The four have addressed Urkullu’s story, focusing on each of his department’s details. The most extensive explanation has been that of Arriola, who made a Goal. It reviews the entire history of the company Verter Recycling, reporting on the inspections carried out by the Environmental Department since its inception in 2002, the infringements detected and the penalties imposed. Then, he uncovered the steps taken from the detachment, without pointing out any flaws. The “Episode Verter” concludes by saying that it has revealed a more general problem that exists in the Basque Country: the general management of waste. The Health Advisor, Murga, has listed the measurements carried out on environmental and health risks. He explained that the levels of dioxins and furans could not be measured before, but he did not argue why people were assured that the air was clean before the results arrived.

"The Department of the Environment has looked away"

After the explanations of the Basque Government, the political groups have taken their turn. Iriarte was once again the first to speak. On Urkullu's claim for unity, Urkullu has responded to lehendakari that what has generated the separation has been the lack of information. He recalled that many mayors in the area are from EH Bildu and told him that they have "a tight hand." Iriarte thanked him for the self-criticism exercise, but he asked him to specify what the mistakes he made. He repeated many of the questions raised in his first speech to both lehendakari and the members, considering that they have not been answered. On a similar path, Martínez has stressed that, after the explanations, “many things remain to be clarified”. The spokesman for Podemos Euskadi has denounced the chaos and improvisation, although the Government of Rajoy intends to "portray the opposite". Arriola reproached Zaldibar that it was a “low cost landfill” with a lot of money in a short time and that the Environment Department has looked “the other way”. Alonso has been one of the strongest opposition groups against the government, which has remained in second position. He pointed out that the explanations had produced him "a deep disappointment", as Urkullu had to "wash" and Arriola had intended to "bleach" the company. In Alonso’s view, the government has wanted to impose “official truth”, but has failed in its goal because the mistakes are too obvious: “The crisis has not been handled magnificently, let you say what you say, Mr Urkullu.”

The parties supporting the Government have defended the work of the Executive and criticized the opposition. On behalf of the PSE, José María Pastor thanked lehendakari for "information and transparency" and his advisers and counsellors. Iñaki Arriola has ensured that the first attempt to give explanations is on his own initiative – he asked for the hearing knowing that parliamentary action was going to be interrupted. He also recalled that the authorization of the Zaldibar landfill was granted "another party" that is not the government, not to mention EH Bildu, who signed the City Hall two weeks before EH Bildu took office under the mandate of the PNV. The president of EH Bildu, Rebeka Ubera, has been furiated at this news, and the president of the table, Bakartxo Tejeria, has shut down. PASTY (RDE). — (FR) Mr President, I should like to begin by congratulating Mr Pasty on his excellent report. For his part, the president of the PNV, Joseba Egibar, has also thanked the government for its presence on the "front line". Egibar considered that lehendakari responded to the opposition "with humility, but with firmness". He has recognised that things could be done better, but he has praised the management that has been done in the light of the situation. In line with what lehendakari has said, "the key" is that the "united" crisis be tackled. On the contrary, he said, “for some, the worse, the better.” "Has anyone come up from the opposition to offer you help or ask for information? he asked Urkullu.

“Public health has not been endangered and is not.”

In the second round of explanations, the lehendakari has assured that he has made self-criticism in the previous intervention by the Abertzale left. Lehendakari has denied the lack of empathy for the relatives of the two young people. He has argued that if he did not meet with them earlier he did so precisely by empathy, until there are no clear answers and to not make promises that “he would not deliver”. He has twice stressed that public health has not been and is not at risk: that dioxin and furan should have a “continuous and years” impact and that the measures taken are preventive. “No parliamentary opposition group has approached me,” he replied to Egibar. The most striking intervention among the members was, again, that of Arriola. He has accused the opposition of "trying to take advantage" of the economic crisis and the opposition. The mayor of Eibar and the neighbors of this city are “its people”, who have always assumed responsibilities and who have no problem of conscience: “The Department’s performance is not tainted.” The Environment Minister has made the company responsible for all this.

"The pride of lehendakari"

The last speeches by the parliamentary groups have been shorter and the main ideas have been repeated. But there have also been new elements. Iriarte wanted to refute Urkullu's words: He has assured that EH Bildu has gone to three departments to ask for help and information, “that’s documented.” “You have not convinced us,” he said to lehendakari Martínez. As he explained, Podemos has also tried to make proposals, but "the pride of the lehendakari" has made it "impossible" that they have taken place. He concluded his speech with a request: let us investigate and clarify what happened to the new Parliament that will be set up in April. The PSE spokesman, Pastor, has seen the "dismantled" opposition lies in Congress. “The speeches have been modulated, a lot” has been addressed to the representatives of EH Bildu Egibar, “will they then turn on again in the street?” It calls on unity on the one hand: "Neither to neutralize the opposition, nor to praise the government. That’s what citizens demand.” On the other hand, “I did not believe that the miserable positions were so entrenched in politics,” he said later addressing the opposition, angering the representatives of Podemos and EH Bildu.

The session of the Permanent Representative has been closed by lehendakari Urkullu. He again summarizes the work done, praising the work done, and that is when he made the most concrete criticism of the whole morning: “Control measures have not been sufficient.” In any case, lehendakari has ensured that, despite the "external noise", the government will remain the same: “Responsibility, work, rigour and transparency”. Looking ahead, he has summarised the three main lines of work: resolving the crisis, clarifying the facts and their responsibilities, and improving the waste management system for the future. Lehendakari has culminated in the ratification of the call for EU unity.