Basque Autonomous Government earmarks 45+ million for language policy

[Harold F. Schiffman]

Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.4.58.0601100947460.14005 at ccat.sas.upenn.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Reply-To: lgpolicy-list at ccat.sas.upenn.edu
Sender: owner-lgpolicy-list at ccat.sas.upenn.edu
X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.2.09/990901/11:28 -- ListProc(tm) by CREN
X-Greylist: IP, sender and recipient auto-whitelisted, not delayed by milter-greylist-2.0.2 (listserv.linguistlist.org [164.76.102.107]); Tue, 10 Jan 2006 09:52:04 -0500 (EST)

Baztarrika: The budget is what is needed for developing language policy

The Basque Autonomous Community Government has earmarked nearly 45 million
euros for language policy; this represents 0.59% of the total budget

Agurtzane Solaberrieta  DONOSTIA (San Sebastian)

As we move into the New Year the Subdepartment of Language Policy of the
BAC-Basque Autonomous Community Government will have a budget of
44,982,755 euros at its disposal; 23.46% higher compared with last years
36 million euros. But only 0.59% of the total funding (over 7,600 million)
the BAC Government will be administering in 2006 will be devoted to
supporting the Basque language; in other words, only 21 euros per
inhabitant in Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa. Kontseilua has requested that
3% of the total budget be devoted to this. But as far as Patxi Baztarrika,
the BAC Governments Deputy Minister for Language Policy, is concerned, the
budget that has been accepted is what is needed for developing our
language policy as we move into this New Year. The budget is the first in
this legislative period and sets out the general direction to be taken
over the coming years.

In his view, this years budget has increased significantly. If one
includes the funding HABE will be receiving from the Subdepartment of
Language Policy, the budget has increased: 60,489,699 euros; 33.04% higher
compared with last year.

The Subministry headed by Patxi Baztarrika will be using the cash for 33
lines of work or commitments the BAC Government is planning to develop
during the current legislative period. In a press briefing in Donostia
(San Sebastian) to present the budget the Deputy Minister stressed that
these lines of work or commitments were aimed at meeting the challenge of
Basque language use. Baztarrika said use of the language was not growing
in proportion to knowledge of it and that was why firm steps needed to be
taken in the sphere of language use. The Subdepartment of Language Policy
will in fact be devoting the budget and other resources to the work of
designing and developing promotion of the use of the language.

In the workplace, for example, in cooperation with employers associations,
trade unions and chambers of commerce, systematic attempts to increase
Basque language use will be encouraged. He did not specify how much
funding would be provided. We will be offering schemes for language use
and a number of services for companies. We will also be offering shared
funding. And a procedure or system will be put in place to recognise and
assess the use of Basque in companies according to current standard
parameters of quality. This year will also see the consolidating of the
line of work to develop Basque language resources, tools and new
applications in information and communication technologies.

http://www.berria.info/english/ikusi.php?id=2072#