The spokesperson for the PNV, Aitor Esteban, has asked "both sides to stop waving little flags" regarding housing and has stated that approving the housing decrees in the Permanent Deputation is "legal," but not "orthodox or pretty." The jeltzale leader has defended that the text his party will support is a "momentary patch" and has insisted that a "review of all housing policy" is needed.
Esteban made these statements in Gernika, where he participated in the Casa de Juntas in the institutional act commemorating the first Basque Government.
"It's not desirable" and "it's not pretty"
The leader of the PNV has stressed that he does not find it "orthodox" for the Housing decrees to be taken to the Permanent Deputation and has indicated that his party would not have acted in that way. "And it's not pretty, honestly. I say it that clearly. Is it legal? Yes, it's legal, but I think it's not what should be done," he affirmed.
In his opinion, what the system needs is a "broad and planned housing policy in all senses." In that vein, he has maintained that the Housing Law was "badly structured and left gaps," and he particularly mentioned the issue of temporary rental, which "now will have to be covered quickly and hastily."
"Well, they insisted on it quickly and hastily just before the elections, and they were wrong, and it has also brought undesirable consequences, plus, evidently, other factors that have led to the situation we find ourselves in," he added.
Support for the first decree and protection of vulnerable people
Asked if the first decree, which the PNV plans to support in the Permanent Deputation, solves anything, Aitor Esteban replied that it is a "momentary patch that must be put in place." He argued that it is necessary to "protect the truly vulnerable and also to provide security to small property owners."
Among the measures he cited, he mentioned the need to have a housing stock, regulate the entire rental sector, and ensure that tourist apartments have to pay taxes, "something that did not happen until now."
"We need to have a housing stock, also address the regulation of all rental housing, ensure that tourist apartments have to pay taxes, something that did not happen until now, etcetera," he added.
Esteban reiterated that it is "a patch" and that one cannot "stop at this," because, as he defended, "what needs to be done is a review of all housing policy."
Criticism of the left and defense of the PNV's coherence
The spokesperson for the PNV has also asked "the left" to stop "some demagoguery." In the same vein, he insisted that "both sides" must "stop waving little flags because the solution to the housing problem is not there."
Likewise, he defended that his party acts "with coherence," since it supported the first decree in Congress and in that text there were issues that, he said, were "technically poorly done," related to vulture funds and with an "even greater improvement for the security of small property owners." "It has been done and we, in coherence, have to vote yes," he pointed out.
Pre-election atmosphere and postal voting
In another vein, Aitor Esteban alluded to the pre-election atmosphere, which he described as already present even before "the starting gun was fired." "If there was already a pre-election atmosphere before, it is evident that it is a pre-election period and many things will be said and heard," he noted.
Regarding the security of postal voting, he assured that he has never doubted that the system "works perfectly and that the data is correct." "I believe there have always been sufficient legal guarantees and therefore we do not question that," he stated.
Esteban said that he even perceives "contradictions" in some political parties and cited the PP, to which he attributed opinions "in both directions." "We have never questioned it and we are not going to. I believe it works with all guarantees," he concluded.
