According to my interpretation of Article 5 of the "Plan Ibarretxe," it looks as if my family would be allowed dual citizenship or at least dual benefits of Basque citizenship should this pass.

Question: What would Madrid do with regards to allowing/restricting my ability to work in Euskadi should this pass the Basque parliment?

Madrid wouldn't do anything.

Only if the spanish parlament decides to approve this document (a highly remote possibility) would you be able to have a "basque nationality" (or dual for that matter). But never mind either; if the document is approved you won't be able to work in a Basque Country with a 30% unemployment rate.

Fernando

That speaks to my main question: Even with "autonomy" I assume that such a plan would not fly in Madrid, and that it would be "vetoed" by the National chamber.

I have no doubt, though, that if I was able to get it, that I would be able to work in the Basque Country, regardless of the unemployment rate. Tengo enchufes de sobra y un MBA...

Even autonomy has its limits. I guess that federal government in the USA won't let pass a plan from, let's say, New Mexico, which would state things like New Mexico's citizens would have a different nationality other than american, or that in any moment New Mexico can decide to be an independent country.

This plan, no matter it was presented by the basque government and voted by the basque parlament, is against our Constitution, which is the ultimate law to judge any other law in our country, and which was voted for in 1978 by the majority of the spaniards, including the basques (who voted for and participated in its design).

Fernando

Interesting analogy. New Mexico has been a rogue state for quite some time, too. All of those illegal New Mexicans crossing the border into Colorado looking for a better life!

Actually I figured Madrid would have none of it if the plan was as I'd understood it. I can always dream, though...

Ibarretxe has won the polls in the Basque Country, but he hasn't got enough support to make this plan reality.

Plan Ibarretxe is over.

It is not over, it is in a stand-by. Nationalists have not abandoned their main principles and theories.

And what's worse, our Government has changed its mind: now they seek the peace by giving the reason to terrorists, with the aid of their government allies: catalonian independentists and communists.

These are not good times for Spain.

Fernando

I don't recall our goverment "giving the reason to the terrorists" (that's agreeing with them)

When you're willing to "negotiate" with terrorist and give lead to them, you are obviously giving them enough thresh hold to "reason" that all of the murders that they have committed are justified. Now the government wants to negotiate with them, how do you explain the four bombings this weekend? Is this how we are to negotiate? Do you really think these groups deserve someone listening to them? I'm sorry but to me it's very clear that these people do not want to negotiate anything.

In the last eight-ten years, the government has done everything possible to weaken ETA, and they seemed to be doing a good job, radicals were fewer, they were kicked out of the parliament, with the help of the US and the anit-terrorist laws many of them were captured and put under arrest, buying illegal armament was almost eradicated, etc etc, and now, with this new government mentality, all of the sudden they have come back into the spotlight with the idea that they have enough rights to demand their liberation.....

I just can’t believe people can be so blind.

Negotiation "if ETA stops terrorist attacks".
Now it's not the case.