The spokesperson for Sumar in the Basque Parliament, Jon Hernández, has held the lehendakari, Imanol Pradales, responsible for "politically using" the doctors' strike over the Framework Statute, resorting to the Ministry of Health "as a scapegoat" to "cover up" Osakidetza's internal problems. Therefore, he has demanded that the Department of Health "do its job" and specify "what is going to be done" regarding the demands linked to the autonomous community's own competencies.
In an interview on Radio Euskadi, reported by Europa Press, the Sumar parliamentarian rejected the criticism leveled by the Basque Government against the Minister of Health, Mónica García, during the strike over the Framework Statute for healthcare personnel, and argued that it is "a tremendous mistake to ask for it to be withdrawn."
Hernández emphasized that "the majority of doctors' demands, those that fall under the State's purview, are included in that Framework Statute" and that the difference is that "they are asking for their own statute," something that "is not resolved by withdrawing" a text that "improves the working conditions of all staff."
In his opinion, "the Basque Government, and especially the lehendakari and the minister, are using this politically in a very irresponsible way" because, moreover, "they know what's going on."
Along these lines, he reproached that Pradales "putting himself at the head of this, using it politically and using the Ministry as a scapegoat to hide his own responsibilities is a tremendous mistake," and urged him to clarify what the Basque Executive intends to do "with those issues that doctors are demanding that are within the regional competence."
The Sumar leader has called for "responsibility" and argued that "the Framework Statute should be approved in the terms agreed with the unions" since, after negotiations with the Ministry of Health, "it has passed through the Council of Ministers and has undergone some modifications from other Ministries" that the unions incorporated into the agreement reject.
In relation to the medical profession, he reiterated that "the response must be in what is included in the Framework Statute and in what the autonomous community, in this case Osakidetza, has to do now." Therefore, he insisted that "the Department of Health has to do its job, it has to do its task" and explain "what it is going to do" with the claims that belong to the regional sphere.
The parliamentarian pointed out that, given that "90-something percent of the demands are accepted by the Ministry", demanding "more flexibility" from Minister Mónica García "does not respond to reality", and has denounced that the lehendakari and his cabinet are "deliberately" "politically using" this conflict to "cover up the problems that Osakidetza has, as a result of its own management".
Criticism of Pradales' leadership and the Basque language reform
In the middle of the legislature, Hernández perceives "little leadership and a lot of marketing" in Imanol Pradales' government. He has reproached the lehendakari for "leaving all legislative initiative in the hands of the PNV and PSE groups", which, in his opinion, implies "avoiding necessary impact reports and shortening debates and the possibility of reaching agreements".
He also believes that the government partners are "concerned with marking their profile" ahead of the municipal and regional elections next year.
According to Hernández, in Thursday's plenary session in the Basque Parliament, there will be "a staging of an agreement" between the PNV and EH Bildu to modify the Public Employment Law regarding the requirement of Basque in public administration jobs.
"What I think is going to happen is that EH Bildu is going to give the nod with an abstention to the PNV's proposal and that's it. But at this point they will no longer be able to agree on anything," he predicted.
He has also shown himself to be "very critical" of the reform because "it breaks a series of long-standing linguistic consensuses". Although Sumar is "open to modifying the system" and therefore abstained in the consideration of the PNV's bill, he has advanced that now it will vote "now clearly against" since "a series of linguistic consensuses are broken without any negotiation".
After emphasizing that it is "a matter for the country", he lamented that "the proposal of a single political party will be approved with the abstention of another, without negotiation, without any type of agreement, without any type of consensus", something that, in his opinion, represents "a big mistake".
Likewise, he has warned that "the legal certainty that the PNV supposedly says it is seeking with this initiative will not be provided." "There will be sentences because that text does not provide any legal certainty to a problem that was not one of legal uncertainty," he pointed out, adding that both the PNV and EH Bildu are proposing "to ask for excessive requirements that are not in line with the reality of the country."
Controversy over zeros in Basque in the PAU
Hernández also addressed the controversy generated by the cases of zeros in the Basque exam of the PAU, indicating that "it is clear that there is a problem," although for now it is not known "where it is."
He indicated that, "if there has been a correct correction and levels of demand that are considered adequate," then there will be "a problem in the Education department" because "it cannot be that such a considerable percentage of students reach the PAU test without a minimum adequate level."
In his opinion, "the Department of Education and the University must get their act together going forward to prevent this from happening in future courses." "We must guarantee the educational level of the students, and we must also guarantee a level of demand in line with the educational model that these young people have had in previous years," he defended.
Pending transfers to the Basque Country
On another note, the Sumar parliamentarian expressed his confidence that there will be progress in the transfers to the Basque Country that depend on ministries led by Sumar "if the legislature is extended until next year."
He explained that "the work is being done" on matters that "some are delicate," with the priority, especially in those related to the Ministry of Labor, of "ensuring the interests of the workers."
According to him, it "doesn't matter to Sumar whether it takes two months more or three months less" because "the important thing is that it is done with guarantees" for the affected staff. He recalled that there is previous "experience" because, "when Lanbide was transferred, it was done badly."
Hernández criticized that Pradales "also uses this politically" and that he likes "to go out and say that there is no progress, because it gives the PNV electoral gains to say that Spain, and in this case the Ministry of the Reds, is hindering the transfer."