What should be done to improve the situation in Euskera?
The Observatory has presented the report Language Rights in Euskal Herria in 2022. Based on the experiences that citizens transmit to him, each year he offers us a photograph of linguistic rights and, through it, he is demonstrating that in daily life we are limited and hindered by the right to live comfortably in Basque. Once again, the difficulty to express oneself in Euskera, both orally and in writing, in all types of services and activities, as well as in the workplace and in consumer relations is documented.
The report is organized by sections and, through many examples, a general reading is made of the administrations of the States and of the Autonomous Communities, the Municipalities and Councils, of Health, Education, Security and Interior. Alongside them, violations and applause in culture, leisure and sport are reported. Finally, the Centre also addresses the socio-economic area.
Regarding the most significant variables of the socioeconomic space, it should be noted that the regulations of the Northern Basque Country and Navarre do not include references or minimal linguistic, landscape or attention requirements. However, in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, services of general interest with legal obligations are subject to numerous infringements, as stated in the report. Energy suppliers and distributors, telecommunications companies, financial and insurance companies, transport companies or large establishments open to the public for the sale of products or the provision of services often violate the linguistic rights of citizens. And that, in addition, has no legal consequences. It can have other consequences, for example, in the image citizens have of these companies and, of course, in the perceptions about the utility of the Basque Country.
Professional services, hospitality and many other businesses ignore the presence and attention of the Basque Country, but the offer in foreign languages is notable
Professional services, hospitality and many other businesses ignore the presence and attention of the Basque Country, but the offer in foreign languages is notable. There are also very few information to customers, invoices, tickets, etc. in Basque. In malls and in the case of large chains, for example, although there has been some progress in cases where the law requires it, in posters in general, in customer service contracts or in telematic services and other information, the Basque Country does not have the appropriate recognition and, as has already been said, many of those who have legal obligations in the CAPV also do not take this into account or dare not.
Looking ahead, what can we do to improve the situation? As we have stressed many times, each has its own functions. First of all, the administrations must put the citizen who wants to use the Basque country in a comfortable and quiet way in the centre, ensure the improvement and implementation of the existing scarce regulations, and failure to comply with the regulations would have consequences, as is often the case when we do not comply with any other regulations, otherwise we will remain the same in twenty years’ time. Secondly, businesses, businesses and all kinds of entities must act responsibly, as linguistic responsibility is part of corporate social responsibility. Thirdly, the trade unions must be called upon to propose and implement measures to improve the situation in the conventions. Citizens, as users and customers of services, must demand from companies responsibility for linguistic rights and, finally, it is up to us to use tools such as the Observatory, if we believe that our rights are violated, to improve and influence the situation.
Rober Gutiérrez, Director of the Bai Euskarari Association
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