The PNV has managed to stage its agreement with the socialists with an unprecedented image during the previous weeks, that of Pedro Sánchez signing in Congress his signature on an investiture pact, and a document of great significance. The presence of the acting President of the Government aims to reinforce the idea that, this time, the legislative commitments will be fulfilled. As for the content, the most relevant thing has to do with self-government: the socialists commit that the next Executive "negotiates and undertakes the effective transfer of all pending powers" contained in the Statute of Gernika "within the non-extendable period of two years". The PSOE also undertakes the commitment to “negotiate in good faith and reach an agreement” on updating the Statute.
Andoni Ortuzar has been in charge of explaining the content of the agreement, in an appearance in the Congress of Deputies that followed the signing of the agreement.
The most far-reaching commitment has to do, without a doubt, with the transfer of the 26 powers included in the Statute of Gernika and that are still pending. This section includes the controversial change of hands of the “economic management of Social Security”, included in these terms in article 18 of the 1979 statutory agreement.
In coherence with this commitment linked to the Statute, it is stated that “the following competencies will be prioritized as an exception, to be carried out within three months: Railways; Homologation and validation of foreign degrees and studies; and the “ “personal autonomy phase of the state reception system”.
Likewise, a permanent bilateral commission made up of representatives of the Spanish and Basque Governments will monitor compliance with the transfers, and both Sánchez and the Lehendakari, Iñigo Urkullu, will meet every six months to guarantee that what was agreed is fulfilled.
Likewise, also in terms of self-government, the commitment to updating the Statute is relevant, including the willingness to negotiate the "national recognition of Eustadi."
“PSOE and EAJ-PNV express their commitment to negotiate in good faith and reach an agreement, both within the Basque institutions and in the Cortes Generales, with the agreement reached subsequently being ratified by the Basque people. The national recognition of Euskadi, the safeguarding of Basque competences and a system of guarantees based on bilaterality and forality will be areas for dialogue and negotiation between both parties,” the agreement states.
The pact, however, also concerns other areas. In labor matters, the agreement includes a demand of the PNV that clashed with the approval of the labor reform and led them to vote against: the primacy of the Basque agreements. Thus, it is agreed to modify the Workers' Statute in articles 84.3 and 84.4.
The pact, in fact, has a lot of substance beyond what is related to compliance with the Statute and its updating, and goes to very specific issues.
For example, in what has to do with the replacement of public employment offers and the salary masses of civil servants, the following is agreed: “Replacement rates may be agreed upon within the Joint Concert and Agreement Commissions. of the offer of public employment of new entry to the sectors, functions and professional categories that are considered absolutely priority, and the global maximums to the increase in the remuneration mass of public employees.
Another example of the level of concreteness of the pact has to do with the agreement to modify “within six months the Law of Local Regime Bases to lower, exceptionally, the minimum population threshold to become an independent municipality (up to 4,000 inhabitants). )”. This issue affects Usansolo, an enclave that by a very majority decided in a consultation to separate itself from Galdakao, although the decision conflicted with the limit of 5,000 inhabitants included in the aforementioned norm.
The agreement also includes several very specific points on economic and fiscal matters, such as the agreement on the Income Tax of non-residents so that the application of autonomous regulations is possible; or the commitment to determine the deficit objectives with the participation of Basque institutions.
The socialists also undertake to “use the formula of the Decree-Law only in cases of exceptional and urgent need” and making its content known in advance to the PNV.
Finally, in cultural matters, it is agreed to “finance 100 million euros in four years to Basque institutions” for the “adaptation” of Basque in terms of digitalization; In the field of security, the powers of the Ertzaintza are reinforced, or, in relation to cooperatives, it has been agreed to promote their own social security.
