Vilalta on the agreement with Basque party EH Bildu: “We are 18 members of Congress at the service of the independence of our peoples”

Esquerra Republicana and Bildu ground their strategic agreement on the joint effort to help the people, stop the right and fight for the freedom of our respective countries

“We are 18 members of Congress at the service of the freedom of our peoples, at the service of independence,” said Deputy Secretary General and spokeswoman for Esquerra, Marta Vilalta on the strategic agreement with the Basque independence party EH Bildu.

“In recent months, the Basque and Catalan progressive pro-independence parties have coordinated interests,” explained Ms Vilalta, with the aim of “defending Catalonia and defending the Basque Country everywhere.”

The Secretary-General referred to three main areas of the strategic agreement. Firstly, Ms Vilalta pointed out that the agreement aims to “aid the people in our countries”, particularly “taking into account the grave social and economic situation.” Secondly, she vowed that they are determined to “stop the right” and be “the useful pro-independence progressives, at the side of the people.” Finally, Ms Vilalta emphasized that the agreement involves “moving forward towards the freedom of our peoples, and advancing towards the Catalan Republic,” while “improving the daily lives of the people” as the best way to “achieve independence.”

For his part, the General Coordinator of EH Bildu, Arnaldo Otegi highlighted that he considers “the success” of both parties in opting for a “strategy of seeking democratic majorities at the polls an open door to justice and freedom of our peoples.” In this sense, the Basque leader has assured that they have learned from Catalonia that “it can be done,” and that “if it has been done once, it can be done again.” “The future of Catalonia is also the future of the Basque Country,” added Mr Otegi, “and the future of all the stateless nations in this country.”

“We will continue coordination in order to stop repression through amnesty,” concluded Ms Vilalta, “and laying the political foundations for the resolution of the conflict through the right to self-determination.”