Resolution on the Basque language in the Autonomous Community of Navarre

The General Assembly of the European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages (EBLUL), representing all regional or minority languages in the 15 EU Member States, in its meeting in Helsinki on 13 September 2003 adopted the following resolution:

Europe is characterised by a wide wealth of languages and cultures, all present in a relatively small territory. This immense cultural and linguistic heritage must be safeguarded and protected, and a special effort must be made for threatened regional, minority or lesser-used languages. Speakers of a regional or minority language should have the right to use their language in private and public life. Contrary to these principles, local authorities from Iruña/Pamplona (capital city of the Autonomous Community of Navarre in Spain) have been implementing a series of reforms to the Autonomous Community legislation limiting the use of the Basque language. Basque is the only endangered language in the Autonomous Community of Navarre and should not suffer from the detrimental consequences of these reforms.

These decisions of the local authorities of Iruña/Pamplona contradict the letter and spirit of the general provisions of the linguistic policy of all European and EU institutions and particularly the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Moreover, they are against the aims established in the “Forale Law 18/1986”, which provide for the commitment of public administration in doing everything to support the protection and development of the Basque language in Navarre.

Consequently, EBLUL denounces the reforms taken by the local government, which would substantially accelerate the extinction of the bilingual landscape of the city and the use of the Basque language by the Basque speakers with the local public administration of Iruña/Pamplona. For all these reasons, we request from the local authorities and especially from the members of the local government to review their policy with regard to the Basque language in order to adapt it to the European standards established in the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.