In the last fifty years in which ETA has maintained an armed struggle, it has been accused of causing the flight of capital from the Basque Country, such as the arrival of new companies, new investments by Basque entrepreneurs and being a brake on tourism. The fact that the armed organization has maintained a “revolutionary tax” on businesspeople – in addition to unfortunately causing several deaths – has been used as an excuse to reduce investments or move this investment to other places outside the Basque Country.

Although the continuation of the armed struggle has not provided the best environment for certain business activities, it is also true that much has been exaggerated and manipulated in this regard by organizations, business associations and political parties. In reality, despite the existence of armed activity, most multinationals and companies have continued their activity in the Basque Country, where manual work is qualified and profitable. However, there may be specific cases of entrepreneurs who have moved out of the Basque Country or companies and investments that have stopped coming to our territory.

The latest ETA communiqué announcing in this context “a permanent, general truce that the international community will be able to verify” and “its commitment to the end of the armed confrontation” opens the possibility of a détente that could allow economic and business development in the Basque Country. Therefore, it would be important for Basque entrepreneurs and their associations, for their own interests and those of this country, to support the new scenario and to pressure the governments – as they do with antisocial reforms – to consolidate it for the benefit of all. So that the total distension is negotiated and irrevocable.