Nafarroa Bai

Today at Berria English:

“Nafarroa Bai” aims to usher in “a new era” in Navarrese politics

Five independents make up the joint list of candidates backed by Aralar, EA, the EAJ and Batzarre. They said during the presentation that they wanted to take “the voice of a Basque-speaking, progressive Navarre” to Madrid

Irene Arrizurieta – IRUÑEA (Pamplona)

The Basque nationalist list of candidates “Nafarroa Bai” (Navarre, Yes) backed by Aralar, EA, the EAJ and Batzarre was presented in Iruñea yesterday. The first two on the list of candidates for Congress (lower chamber of the Spanish parliament) are Uxue Barkos, a journalist with the ETB (the Basque television corporation), and Paula Kasares, the former director of the “Hizkuntza Eskubideen Behatokia” (Language Rights Watchdog Committee). The list of candidates for the Senate (upper chamber) is made up of Jose Luis Mendoza, the Chairman of the “Euskara Kultur Elkargoa” (Basque Language Cultural Association), Pablo Lorente, sales representative, and Bixente Serrano Izko, writer and teacher. In yesterday’s appearance they announced that their aim was to take the “voice of a Basque-speaking, progressive Navarre” to Madrid.

Representatives of the parties making up the “Nafarroa Bai” list of candidates were also there to support the list of independent candidates: Jose Antonio Urbiola (EAJ), Koldo Amezketa (EA), Patxi Zabaleta (Aralar) and Joseba Ezeolaza (Batzarre). Carlos Garaikoetxea, the founder of EA and the former Lehendakari or President of the Government of the Basque Autonomous Community (of Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa), was also present. The candidates said that with the “Nafarroa Bai” coalition “a new era has begun in Navarrese politics that will doubtlessly be more democratic and will better reflect the pluralism and coexistence of Navarrese politics than previously.” Uxue Barkos, the candidate for Congress, explained: “The aim is for all the voices of Navarre to be present in Madrid. When you look at the representatives in the Spanish Parliament, it looks as if the society of Navarre is of one colour only, but that is not the case”.

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