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Oña i Socio-Legal Se ies, . 4, n. 1 (2014) – Whose Na u al Resou ces? C iminaliza ion o
Social P o es in a Globalizing Wo ld
ISSN: 2079-5971
Rep ession and C iminaliza ion o he Ecologis Mo emen in
he Basque Coun y: he Case o he High Speed T ain P ojec
CARLOS ALONSO CIDAD∗
IÑAKI BARCENA HINOJAL∗
IZARO GOROSTIDI BIDAURRAZAGA∗
Alonso Cidad, C., Ba cena Hinojal, I., Go os idi Bidau azaga, I., 2014. Rep ession and
C iminaliza ion o he Ecologis Mo emen in he Basque Coun y: he Case o he High
Speed T ain P ojec . Oña i Socio-Legal Se ies [online], 4 (1), 13-34. A ailable om:
h p://ss n.com/abs ac =2368880
Abs ac
This a icle o e s an analysis o he p ocess o c iminaliza ion, which, in he
au ho s’ opinion, he Basque Ecologis Mo emen (BEM) has su e ed in i s igh
agains he High Speed T ain (HST). The ex is s uc u ed in i e sec ions. The
ini ial sec ion highligh s he main cha ac e is ics o he BEM om i s o igins o he
p esen , indica ing he impo ance in i s de elopmen o he Basque na ional
ques ion and poli ical iolence on one side, and a combined discou se ha is a
once local and global on he o he . The second sec ion p o ides da a e e ing o
he HST p ojec , indica ing i s poli ical and socio-economic impac s, while he hi d
sec ion is dedica ed o cla i ying he main iden i y ea u es and lines o ac ion o he
an i-HST mo emen . The ou h sec ion shows bo h he epe o y o collec i e
ac ion o he opponen s o he HST and he policies o ep ession and
c iminaliza ion exe cised agains hem. The i h and inal sec ion is si ua ed in
oday’s new poli ical cycle, which ollows he end o ETA’s a med ac i i y and se s
ou possible u u e scena ios. Ra he han an academic a icle consis ing o
in ellec ual e lec ion, his a icle is in ended as a poli ical es imony o he long
s uggle o his social mo emen , in ol ing 20 yea s o ecologis ac i ism, a
s uggle ha con inues oday, since he in as uc u e p ojec is s ill in o ce,
al hough he con lic is li le known a he in e na ional le el.
Key wo ds
C iminaliza ion; Basque en i onmen al mo emen ; in as uc u al p ojec s
A icle esul ing om he pape p esen ed a he wo kshop Whose Na u al Resou ces? C iminaliza ion o
Social P o es in a Globalizing Wo ld held in he In e na ional Ins i u e o he Sociology o Law, Oña i,
Spain, 26-27 Ap il 2012, and coo dina ed by Gus a o Rojas-Páez (Uni e sidad Lib e Colombia,) and
Ca olijn Te wind (Eu opean Cen e o Cons i u ional and Human Righ s).
∗ Ca los Alonso Cidad is en i onmen al lawye . Pelo a kalea 5, Behea. 48005 Bilbo (Spain)
ca los.ingu un[email p o ec ed]e
∗ Iñaki Ba cena Hinojal is P o esso in Poli ical Science and coo dina o o PARTE HARTUZ esea ch g oup
(Uni e si y o he Basque Coun y) Uni e si y o he Basque Coun y. Poli ika e a Adminis azio Zien zien
Saila. Giza e e a Komunikazio Zien zien Fakul a ea. Sa iena Auzoa, z/g 48940 Leioa (Spain)
inaki.ba [email p o ec ed]
∗ Iza o Go os idi Bidau azaga is eache and esea che in Poli ical Science a he Uni e si y o he
Basque Coun y. Uni e si y o he Basque Coun y. Poli ika e a Adminis azio Zien zien Saila. Giza e e a
Komunikazio Zien zien Fakul a ea. Sa iena Auzoa, z/g 48940 Leioa (Spain) iza o.go os [email protected]
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Ca los Alonso, Iñaki Ba cena, Iza o Go os idi Rep ession and C iminaliza ion o he Ecologis …
Oña i Socio-Legal Se ies, . 4, n. 1 (2014), 13-34
ISSN: 2079-5971
14
Resumen
Es e a ículo o ece un análisis del p oceso de c iminalización, que, en opinión de
los au o es, el Mo imien o Ecologis a Vasco ha su ido en su lucha con a el T en de
Al a Velocidad (TAV). El ex o se es uc u a en cinco pa es. En la p ime a se
des acan las p incipales ca ac e ís icas del Mo imien o Ecologis a Vasco, desde sus
o ígenes has a la ac ualidad, sub ayando la impo ancia en su desa ollo de la
cues ión nacional asca y la iolencia polí ica po un lado, y po o o, un discu so
combinado local y global a la ez. En el segundo pun o se o ecen da os e e en es
al p oyec o del TAV, indicando sus impac os polí icos y socio-económicos, mien as
que la e ce a pa e es á dedicada a escla ece los asgos de iden idad y líneas de
acción p incipales del mo imien o an i-TAV. En el cua o pun o se mues an an o el
epe o io de la acción colec i a de los oposi o es del TAV como las polí icas de
ep esión y c iminalización eje cida con a ellos. La quin a y úl ima pa e se si úa
en el ac ual nue o ciclo polí ico, que sigue al inal de la ac i idad a mada de ETA y
es ablece posibles escena ios u u os. En luga de un a ículo académico que
consis e en la e lexión in elec ual, es e a ículo p e ende se un es imonio polí ico
de la la ga lucha de es e mo imien o social, incluyendo 20 años de ac i ismo
ecologis a, una lucha que con inúa en la ac ualidad, ya que el p oyec o de
in aes uc u a se encuen a aún en igo , aunque el con lic o sea poco conocido a
ni el in e nacional.
Palab as cla e
C iminalización; Mo imien o ecologis a asco; p oyec os de in aes uc u as
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Ca los Alonso, Iñaki Ba cena, Iza o Go os idi Rep ession and C iminaliza ion o he Ecologis …
Table o con en s
1. Pas and p esen o he Basque ecologis mo emen .................................... 16
1.1. The oo s o Basque ecologism .......................................................... 16
1.2. Ecological ques ions o na ional scope ................................................ 16
1.3. Local and global ecologism ............................................................... 18
2. The High Speed T ain p ojec and i s impac s in he Basque Coun y .............. 19
2.1. En i onmen al and socio-economic impac s o he HST ......................... 19
2.2. The decision-making p oces .............................................................. 21
3. The ecologis mo emen and he social mo emen agains he HST ............... 21
3.1. The ecologis mo emen and he HST ................................................ 21
3.2. F om ecologis mo emen o social mo emen .................................... 22
3.3. O he agen s in he con lic .............................................................. 23
4. Rep ession and c iminaliza ion o ac i ism agains he HST ........................... 24
4.1. Cha ac e and aims o ac i ism agains he HST .................................. 24
4.2. The ins i u ional esponse ................................................................ 26
4.3. Rep ession o he an i-HST p o es .................................................... 26
4.4. “Te o is c iminaliza ion” ................................................................. 28
5. Social pa icipa ion and decision-making .................................................... 29
5.1. Municipal pa icipa ion and democ acy ............................................... 30
5.2. The HST p ojec is s ill unde way....................................................... 31
5.3. New imes: Towa ds he end o he ep ession? Is deba e s ill possible? .. 32
Bibliog aphy .............................................................................................. 32
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1. Pas and p esen o he Basque ecologis mo emen
1.1. The oo s o Basque ecologism
The oo s o he ecologis mo emen in he Basque Coun y can be sough in wo
social mo emen s ha had hei g ea es in luence a he dea h o he dic a o
F anco and du ing he i s yea s o he so-called Spanish Poli ical T ansi ion. On
he one hand, he Neighbo hood Associa ions, especially in he la ge municipali ies
o he Basque Coun y, which ook up claims wi h a ma kedly ecological cha ac e
in he line o imp o ing he quali y o li e in owns and neighbo hoods: a mosphe ic
con amina ion, anspo , u ban planning and g een a eas, he na u al
en i onmen , e c. On he o he hand, he an i-nuclea mo emen , whose i s
oices we e aised om wi hin he Commission o he De ense o a Non-nuclea
Basque Coas , which was o med when he possibili y o ins alling se e al nuclea
eac o s along he Basque coas began o ake conc e e shape: Deba, Ea-Ispas e
and Lemoiz. A nuclea powe s a ion was also planned o A guedas, nea he own
o Tudela in he Ribe a egion o Na a e, which swi ly ga e ise o signi ican
opposi ion. F om 1976 onwa ds, an i-Lemoiz and an i-nuclea commi ees began o
eme ge in many owns and ci ies in a dispe sed and highly spon aneous way. Li le
by li le, hese began o coo dina e hei ac i i ies and gi e shape o a mo e s able
s uc u e: he An i-nuclea Commi ees o he Basque Coun y.
Thei a en ion was ini ially cen e ed on opposi ion o he cons uc ion o he wo
eac o s o Lemoiz in he Baso das co e ( he o he h ee si es we e soon uled ou ),
al hough hei objec i e was soon widened o include he an i-nuclea s uggle and,
la e on, conce n o he en i onmen al, economic and social impac s o he
di e en ene gy models. In he ea ly-1980s, and especially ollowing he hal ed
cons uc ion wo k a Lemoiz in 1982, hei ange o conce ns and ac i i ies was
b oadened o include issues ela ing o he de ense o he en i onmen and hey
became he An i-nuclea and Ecologis Commi ees o he Basque Coun y.
In pa allel, o he ecologis g oups h oughou he Basque geog aphy we e eme ging
wi h a local, egional o p o incial scope, as well as en i onmen alis o na u alis
g oups linked mo e closely o de ense o he na u al en i onmen . The Ecologis
Con e ences o he Basque Coun y [Encuen os Ecologis as de Euskadi] a e
o ganized pe iodically, wi h many o hese g oups usually mee ing o deba e and o
exchange expe iences, albei no mally wi hou deciding upon any conc e e common
s uggles o campaigns.
Toge he wi h hese g oups, pla o ms o opposi ion o p ojec s ela ed o de ense
o he land pe iodically eme ge, b inging oge he a ec ed esiden s, local
collec i es, e c., wi h ecologis s ac i ely aking pa . These conce n p ojec s o
a ied con en in ol ing a g ea en i onmen al impac in local spaces: indus ies,
anspo in as uc u es (mo o ways and po s), was e managemen ins alla ions,
ese oi s, e c.
1.2. Ecological ques ions o na ional scope
In he majo i y o hese s uggles, social mobiliza ion a ely achie es an echo
beyond he municipali y o a ea mos di ec ly a ec ed by he p ojec . Mo eo e ,
hese pla o ms disappea once he p ojec is buil o , mo e a ely, d opped.
Howe e , in some cases hey manage o a ouse a g ea e le el o opposi ion and
social mobiliza ion, sp eading o he whole o he Basque Coun y. The bes
examples o his a e he Lei za an Mo o way be ween Gipuzkoa and Na a e, he
I oi z Rese oi and, mos ecen ly, he High Speed T ain p ojec , a linea p ojec
a ec ing all he e i o ies o he Basque Coun y.
The Lei za an Mo o way was a mo o way p ojec linking Gipuzkoa and Na a e, o ,
mo e p ecisely, he p o incial capi als Donos ia and I uña, h ough he alleys o
Lei za an and La aun, in ol ing some 41 km. o oad be ween Andoian and
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I u zun. Concei ed as a moun ain mo o way in he ea ly-1980s, i soon
encoun e ed opposi ion om he ecologis mo emen and local g oups o he a eas
a ec ed, due o he high en i onmen al impac on zones o g ea na u alis ic alue.
In 1986, he An i-mo o way Coo dina o was o med, wi h deba e and social
mobiliza ion soon sp ead beyond he di ec ly a ec ed geog aphically e i o y. The
Coo dina o unde ook he signi ican wo k o p o iding in o ma ion and socializing
he issue ha , oge he wi h i s di e se and imagina i e o ms o s uggle, b ough
housands o people ou on o he s ee s in opposi ion o he p ojec , especially in
he demons a ions in Donos ia (20,000 people in No embe 1989 and 36,000 in
Feb ua y 1991) and I uña, and he opposi ion achie ed a na ional scope.
F om 1988 onwa ds, o ms o opposi ion included ac s o low in ensi y iolence o
spon aneous sabo age agains he building wo ks and machine y. The a med
o ganiza ion ETA decided o ac in he con lic a he end o 1989, plan ing bombs
agains he wo ks and cons uc ion companies and h ea ening he la e ’s
echnicians, esul ing in 4 mo al ic ims.
Meanwhile, signi ican deba es a ose wi hin he An i-mo o way Coo dina o
conce ning he need o hold o a closed posi ion o opposi ion o he mo o way, o
o p esen o he al e na i e ou es ha would ha e less impac on he en i onmen .
The la e op ion ga e ise o “Lu aldea”, a coo dina o ha o e ed an elabo a ed
al e na i e o he same name. Meanwhile, a signi ican sec o o people and g oups
con inued he s uggle agains any ype o mo o way.
These wo ac o s ( he ETA in e en ion and he possibili y o al e na i e ou es)
ga e ise o a ial o s eng h and di use nego ia ions be ween he opposing
pa ies, he na ionalis le and he ins i u ions (essen ially he Fo al Depu a ion o
Gipuzkoa), which ended in Ap il 1992 wi h an ag eemen on a ou e wi h less
impac . This made i possible o unblock he si ua ion and o wo k o esume on
he mo o way, which was inally inaugu a ed in May 1995.
The p ojec o he I oi z Rese oi in ol ed he cons uc ion o a dam on he I a i
and U obi i e s in he P e-Py enean a ea o Na a e. This was o ha e an
occupa ion o 1,100 Ha, planned o supply indus ial and u ban uses in he
Pamplona a ea and ans o m 57,000 Ha in o i iga ed land in he middle egion o
Na a e and in he Ribe a, by means o he 177 km Na a e Canal. Wi h a s ong
en i onmen al impac , i s wa e s would inunda e h ee decla ed na u al ese es
(Txin xu enea, Gaz elu and Iña be) and wo Special P o ec ed A eas (Eu opean
Union Wild Bi d Di ec i e), as well as wo illages in he looded alleys.
In May 1985, he I oi z Coo dina o was c ea ed, abo e all o med by a ec ed
people, inhabi an s o he illages o be inunda ed and he Agoi z a ea. Howe e ,
hey soon ecei ed suppo om he Basque and in e na ional ecologis mo emen .
Toge he wi h he wo k o p o iding in o ma ion and socializing he issue, i s
ac i i y was cen e ed on he legal igh agains he p ojec h ough judicial
channels. While his was whe e i was o ob ain i s g ea es successes, hey a i ed
la e and we e insu icien . The High Cou dec eed he p ojec as null in 1997, gi en
ha i a ec ed p o ec ed na u al spaces. Howe e , he Na a e go e nmen had
emo ed his p o ec ion om hose spaces in 1996, h ough an “ad hoc” law ha
was la e decla ed in acco dance wi h he law by he Cons i u ional Cou (Ma ch,
2000), when he wo ks on he dam and pa o he Na a e Canal had been buil
wi h an expendi u e o millions o Eu os, including accusa ions o b ibe y ha we e
no sen o ial because he s a u e o limi a ion o he o ence had expi ed.
By hen, opposi ion had sp ead and gi en ise o an ex emely b oad mo emen o
solida i y h oughou he Basque Coun y, wi h mul i udinous demons a ions,
especially in I uña. Mo eo e , i also p omp ed a collec i e o ac i is s wi h b oad
social suppo , “Solida i@s con I oi z” (People in solida i y wi h I oi z), which
p ac iced a ied and imagina i e ac ions o opposi ion in he line o non- iolen
di ec ac ion. Some o hese ac ions included sabo age and damage o ma e ial
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Ca los Alonso, Iñaki Ba cena, Iza o Go os idi Rep ession and C iminaliza ion o he Ecologis …
goods, ye wi h s ic espec o people. The bes -known and mos e ec i e ac ion
was hei cu ing he cables used o anspo ing ma e ials abo e he head o he
dam (Ap il 1995), which caused damages o 9 million € and pu a s op o he wo ks
o se e al mon hs. Howe e , i also b ough wo mon hs o p e en i e p ison o
he 8 people a es ed and sen ences o 4 yea s and 10 mon hs ( o disa ming, ying
and locking up a gua d o 5 minu es). Some o he solida i@s se ed his sen ence
in pa , while o he s emained in hiding un il i expi ed in Decembe 2007.
Fu he mo e, he ac ion also mean a e i aliza ion o he opposi ion mo emen ,
which pe cei ed ha he e we e mo e e ec i e o ms o ac ing when he main
a gumen employed is imposi ion: wo days a e hei elease on bail, 15,000
people demons a ed agains he ese oi in I uña.
Cons uc ion o he I oi z ese oi began in 1993, wi h building wo k comple ed 10
yea s la e . The p ocess o illing he ese oi was s a ed in 2004 and he
maximum le el, 95% o i s capaci y, was eached in 2008. The hyd oelec ic powe
s a ion, si ua ed a he base o he dam wi h a capaci y o 28.4 megawa s, was
opened in Ma ch 2009. In 2012, nea ly 100 km o he planned 117 km o he
Na a e Canal had been buil , wi h i s unding and ag icul u al use subjec ed o
nume ous con o e sies and unce ain ies.
1.3. Local and global ecologism
Toge he wi h hei pa icipa ion in hese s uggles, which end up exceeding hei
ini ial s ic ly ecologis cha ac e , he ecologis collec i es de elop a hos o
campaigns and ac ions wi h a mo e local cha ac e . They a e de eloped exclusi ely
by hem on some occasions, while on o he s hey ake pa in local pla o ms.
Al hough he e a e ecologis collec i es wi h a na ional scope ( oday hese a e
Ekologis ak Ma xan, Eguzki and, wi h nuances abou i s ecologis de ini ion,
AHT en au kako Asanblada [Assembly agains he HST]) and o he o ms o
coo dina ion, i is no usual o p omo e campaigns wi h such a cha ac e , e en
when dealing wi h gene al o uni e sal en i onmen al ques ions: clima e change,
nuclea and he mal ene gy, was e managemen and incine a ion, anspo
in as uc u es, de elopmen alism and deg ow h, e c.
E en when equal o simila p oblems a e being con on ed, he e is li le
coo dina ion o campaigns. Such cases include he Ga oña nuclea powe s a ion (in
A aba and Biscay), he mal powe s a ions (Bo oa, Cas ejón, Zie bena and Pasaia),
incine a o s (Bilbao and Donos ialdea) o he nume ous dual ca iageways buil in
ecen decades.
An impo an excep ion was ound in he an i-mili a is s uggles agains he Eu o-
missiles and NATO in he 1980s, du ing which ecologism played a e y ac i e ole,
al hough hey declined ollowing he de ea in he e e endum on NATO en y
(despi e he ic o y in he Basque Coun y, Ca alonia and he Cana y Islands).
Besides he High Speed T ain, he e a e wo issues ha ha e a scope ex ending
beyond he local le el in coming yea s: he p ojec o he Ex e nal Po o Pasaia in
he egion o Gipuzkoa; and he p ojec s o ex ac gas by hyd aulic ac u ing
( acking), which in A aba and Biscay ha e al eady s a ed o wo y sensibili ies
besides hose o he ecologis s, and whose de elopmen migh a ec he whole
e i o y.
Finally, i some pa icula i ies o Basque ecologism a e o be s essed, we would
no e he ollowing:
− A close ela ion be ween a ision o global ecologism and local ac ion.
− A signi ican social and poli ical conce n, in he line o social ecologism.
− As a esul , a close link wi h o he social mo emen s: an i-mili a is s,
in e na ionalis s, gaz e xes (you h cen e s) and squa e s, eminis s, e c.
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− A clea ly an i-capi alis , an i-de elopmen alis and le -wing poli ical
ideology.
− A s ong componen o na ional iden i y and pa icipa ion in he demand o
so e eign y.
The la e pa icula i y is despi e he ac ha he iden i y ques ion ( he di e en
Basque iden i ies) and di e en ways o unde s anding poli ical so e eign y in
Basque socie y ha e also ma ked he e olu ion o Basque ecologism, bo h a he
o ganiza ional le el and in e e yday p ac ice.
Fu he mo e, as we ha e seen, he ques ion o a med iolence, which has a e sed
ou socie y and has ma ked he Basque con lic in ecen decades, has had a
signi ican p esence in he ecologis con lic s since hei s a in he s uggles
agains Lemoiz.
2. The High Speed T ain p ojec and i s impac s in he Basque Coun y
2.1. En i onmen al and socio-economic impac s o he HST
F om an economic pe spec i e, he High Speed T ain P ojec (hence o h HST) is
doub lessly he mos ambi ious unde aking in he en i e his o y o he Basque
Coun y. In en i onmen al e ms, i is he mos complex and has he g ea es
impac s on he e i o y. Mo eo e , i also has he g ea es social e ec ; no only
due o i s economic cos s, which a e necessa ily a ec ing o he social policies, bu
also gi en i s in luence on e i o ial planning.
The di e en adminis a ions ha ac in he Basque Coun y ha e en isaged he
cons uc ion in he medium e m o app oxima ely 460 km o high speed ailway:
− he 194 km o he so-called “Basque Y”, which will c oss he Au onomous
Communi y o connec he peninsula axes wi h Eu ope;
− some 200 km o he so-called “Na a e High Speed Co ido ”, which, se ing
ou om he Y in he O ia alley, will c oss he whole o Na a e, by way o
Sakana, he Pamplona basin owa ds he Ribe a in he di ec ion o Za agoza
and he Medi e anean, con e ing he well-known Basque “Y” in o Basque-
Na a e “H”; and
− ano he 71 km in he No he n Basque Coun y, o he new line be ween
Dax-Behobia, es a ing he cu en ly hal ed TGV p ojec , despi e s ong
social opposi ion.
Mo eo e , he ollowing could also be added:
− he p olonga ion o he HST owa ds he Can ab ian co nice in a u u e
“Bilbao-Can ab ia-Galicia” co ido , whose mos ad anced p ojec is he so-
called “Va ian e Su Fe o ia io” (Sou he n Railway Va ian ), connec ing a
new ou le o me chandise om he Supe po o Bilbao wi h he high speed
ne wo k; and
− he con e sion o he p esen “Gas eiz-I uña” s e ch h ough Alsasua in o
high speed lines, and he Eb o co ido be ween Mi anda-Log oño-Cas ejón
in o a “Can ab ia-Medi e anean” line.
I is impossible o ind a simila p ojec o high speed in as uc u es in any o he
pa o Eu ope. No e en in Spain, whe e he e we e 2,665 km o high speed lines
in se ice and 4,500km unde cons uc ion in May 2011, agains an es ima ed
16,000 km in he whole wo ld (Segu a 2009, p.62).
The en i onmen al impac s on a e i o y wi h an i egula and b oken o og aphy
a e absolu ely unsus ainable and i e e sible. Concen a ing on he so-called
“Basque Y”, whose p ojec s a e al eady de ined, he occupa ion o e i o y will be
671 Ha. As a e e ence, 1 Ha. is he equi alen o a oo ball g ound wi h i s
g ands and. O he o al, 440 Ha. co esponds o ag o o es y land. In addi ion, a
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u he 518 Ha. will be occupied o illed by he 64 dumps needed o deposi ing he
ex ac ed ubble.
Pa icula ly ele an is he mo emen o ea h en isaged in exca a ions, unnels
and subsequen illing. This could each he igu e o 33 million cubic me e s o
ea h and is equi alen o hal o all he mo emen s unde aken in he Basque
Au onomous Communi y in he p e ious 20 yea s in he cons uc ion o
in as uc u es; a pe iod o no ably ac i e de elopmen o mo o ways and oads.
The HST in Euskadi is a con inuous unnel- iaduc due o he o og aphy. The
Basque Y would go h ough 80 unnels wi h a o al o 104 km (some equi ing
pa allel galle ies o eme gencies) and c oss 70 iaduc s o 17 km leng h. This
in ol es no ably inc easing he consump ion o agg ega es and conc e e,
consequen ly opening new qua ies. The s udies conduc ed by EVE ( he Basque
Ene gy Body) conce ning new a eas sui able o qua ying en isaged he possibili y
o opening as many as 131 new qua ies in coming yea s, o be added o he 52
al eady in exis ence, wi h many o he o me conside necessa y o supply he
wo ks o he HST (Ekologis ak Ma xan 2007).
O he signi ican en i onmen al impac s a e ela ed o he e ec on wa e cou ses
and aqui e s. The HST c osses s eams and i e s a 103 poin s along i s ou e,
passing h ough a eas o unde g ound aqui e s wi h high o e y high ulne abili y
o 31 km (including unnels).
The landscape impac s a e no able in many alleys and spaces o pano amic and
na u al in e es and, despi e he “Basque Y” ski ing ye no di ec ly c ossing
decla ed na u al spaces, i s p olonga ion owa ds he “Na a e co ido ” would do
so i ca ied ou .
Impac s ha e also been denounced ela ing o he unbea able noise ha would be
in lic ed on many inhabi ed a eas in he passage o 250 m. on each side o he
ou e, as well as con amina ion by elec omagne ic wa es. Mo eo e , he ene gy
consump ion o anspo ing people on high speed ailways ende s i he equi alen
o he mos unsus ainable sys ems: he ai plane and unde -occupied p i a e
ehicles.
F om an economic pe spec i e, some 4,100 million € is budge ed o he “Basque
Y”, wi hou aking in o accoun access ou es and wo ks in he capi als and he
ailway uni s, which could aise he igu e o 6,000 million (plus he usual inc eases
o any public wo ks). Including he “Na a e co ido ”, he o al in es men could
exceed 10,000 million €.
The igu e o 6,000 million € is equi alen o he Housing budge o he Basque
Go e nmen o 24 yea s, o ha o he En i onmen o 54 yea s, wi hou aking
in o accoun he ecen cu s in hese a eas due o he c isis. 1 km. o HST (30
million € in he e i o y o he Basque Au onomous Communi y) alone exceeds he
annual expendi u e o he Spanish Go e nmen on he Wo ld Food P og am p io o
he c isis1.
The e would also be signi ican impac s in Na a e and he No he n Basque
Coun y, e en wi h somewha lowe economic and en i onmen al cos s due o hei
mo e e en o og aphy in some places. To p o ide an idea, he o al mo emen o
ea h in he Sou he n Basque Coun y would each 68 million m3 and he o al cos
o he cheape “Na a e co ido ” (a 18 million €/km.) would ise o 3,600 million
€.
1 The da a on en i onmen al and economic impac s a e aken om AHT geldi u! ELKARLANA (2007b)
and he websi e www.ah geldi u.o g based on o icial epo s.
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2.2. The decision-making p ocess
Eu oan commi men o he high speed ailway as a anspo sys em s imula ing
global economic g ow h and consolida ing he single ma ke is p omo ed by he
Eu opean Commission, wi h suppo om he “Eu opean Round Table o
Indus ialis s”, a business lobby ea u ing he main Eu opean ansna ionals. Thus,
in 1986, sho ly a e Spain’s en y in o he EEC, he Eu opean Commission
submi ed a epo o he Council o Minis e s en i led “Towa ds a Eu opean ne wo k
o high speed ains”, demanding ha he s a es o mula e p oposals wi h a iew o
o ming pa o his ne wo k.
The i s decision in he Basque Coun y da es back o 1989, wi h he ag eemen s
be ween he Spanish cen al go e nmen and he Na a e and Basque go e nmen s
(on 11 No embe and 27 Feb ua y, espec i ely) o de elop he HST in bo h
au onomous communi ies. In 1994, he Council o Eu ope decided o include he
high speed ailway axis Mad id-Vi o ia-Dax in i s lis o s a egic p ojec s.
Despi e he a gumen s be ween he go e nmen s conce ned o e unding and
p io i ies in he de elopmen o high speed delaying he p ojec s o yea s, an
ag eemen was e en ually eached be ween he Spanish De elopmen Minis e and
he Depa men o Public Wo ks and T anspo o he Basque go e nmen in 2006
o und he “Basque Y” o he sum o 4,178 million €, o which he 1,642 € o he
Gipuzkoa sec ion would be ad anced by he au onomous go e nmen and
discoun ed om he Quo a o he Economic Ag eemen .
The wo ks s a ed in Oc obe 2006 in U bina (A aba) and along he A auza-
Uba undia/Villa eal s e ch. In 2008, hey s a ed in Gipuzkoa (O dizia-I sasondo
unnel) and Biscay (Amo ebie a).
3. The ecologis mo emen and he social mo emen agains he HST
3.1. The ecologis mo emen and he HST
The ecologis mo emen has always been highly c i ical o high speed ail p ojec s.
A oiding he deba e on p io i ies in he ailway connec ion wi h Eu ope h ough he
Mad id-Ba celona co ido o Mad id-I un, in Oc obe 1986 he Spanish go e nmen
decided o unde ake cons uc ion o he Mad id-Se ille AVE (Al a Velocidad
Española – Spanish High Speed) line, wi h he aim o i being unning o he 1992
Uni e sal Exposi ion. This p ojec was me wi h o al opposi ion om he main
ecologis o ganiza ions and g oups h oughou Spain (a he ime, he majo i y o
hem o med pa o he CODA (Coo dinado a de O ganizaciones de De ensa
Ambien al – Coo dina o o En i onmen al De ense O ganiza ions). Howe e , hei
ac i i y was e y limi ed and ound li le social echo, wi h he o me being educed
o in o ma i e ac ions (publica ions, alks, p ess s a emen s, e c) and some
symbolic p o es s (B aza o as, e c.) ha ailed o achie e a deep oo ed social
mobiliza ion. This opposi ion was suppo ed by some o he Basque ecologis
o ganiza ions, despi e he passage o he high speed ailway h ough ou coun y
being seen as e y a o a he ime.
The e has been a i m commi men o “high speed” by he go e ning na ionalis s in
he Basque Coun y, almos since he beginning o Basque au onomy. The “Basque
Y” has always been he d eam and claim o he Basque Na ionalis Pa y (EAJ-PNV),
besides he s a egic a emp o achie e p io i y o e he Mad id-Za agoza-
Ba celona axis in e ms o being he connec ion wi h Eu ope. Juan Ma ía Band es
(Basque Le - EE), as “T anspo Councilo ” o he p e-au onomous Basque Gene al
Council (1978-1980), also called o he HST o he Can ab ian co nice.
In pa allel, he i s c i ical e lec ions and commen a ies om ecologis sec o s also
eme ged, albei wi h a e y spo adic cha ac e and limi ed di usion. Indeed, a ue
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− 2 people sen enced by he Na ional Cou o 18 mon hs/ ine o placing
lowe po s on he ailway lines (Bilbao, July 2009).
− 2 people sen enced o 6 mon hs in p ison o chaining hemsel es o a oad
(Elo io, July 2009).
− 2 people sen enced o 9 mon hs in p ison o s opping a bus by climbing
on o i s oo wi h a banne (Du ango, Decembe 2009).
− Con e sely, o he simila ac ions ha e ended up being absol ed wi hou
anyone being able o de ine he limi o ying his ype o ac ions, including
he ollowing:
− blocking he line and co e ing a TGV locomo i e wi h pape (I un, Janua y
2003).
− a si -down by 21 people chained o each o he a he HST wo ks (Luku,
No embe 2006).
− people ied o each o he wi h b idles on he wo ks access ou e (Za a amo,
Augus 2008 and Basau i, Sep embe 2008).
− 2 people wi h a banne co e ing hemsel es wi h pain a he inaugu a ion
o he Me o s a ion (San u zi, July 2009).
− 6 people climbing he ees in he A enal (Bilbao, Oc obe 2009) in solida i y
wi h o he s who emained in ees nex o he wo ks a I sasondo o se e al
days. Simila ac ions in o he places ha e esul ed in sen ences.
− 2 people who ook pa in a si -down in he Municipal Council o p e en
d awing up ce i ica es o app o al o exp op ia ion (I sasondo, No embe
2009). Simila ac ions in o he places ha e esul ed in sen ences.
4.4. “Te o is c iminaliza ion”
Howe e , he c iminaliza ion o he an i-HST p o es eached i s zeni h in 2008,
wi h he i s public s a emen s by ETA poin ing o he HTS as a a ge and placing
i in he sigh s o i s ac ion. The opening sho was i ed by an examining judge in
Tolosa. Since No embe 2006, a ial had been pending o “public diso de ”
o enses agains wo people who had aken pa in holding up a ic by epea edly
using a zeb a c ossing. Howe e , on 14 Janua y 2008, he day be o e he ial was
due o be held, he judge issued a p ocedu al wa an wi h a single conside a ion o
he own: “A public s a emen ha ing been made by he ETA e o is gang ha one
o i s aims is o p e en by any means he ealiza ion o he HST wo ks, he p esen
wa an s should be emi ed o he Audiencia Nacional”. No mo e and no less.
Some days la e we w o e: “We ha e s ill no eco e ed om ou su p ise. A simple
mino o ense is ans o med in o a suspec ed e o is o ense, because o he
public s a emen o a hi d pa y o eign o he judicial p ocess. An immense
ju idical absu di y. One mo e. How is i possible ha a peace ul social p o es can
become a e o is ac o e nigh ? On he o he hand, he “s a emen by ETA” o
which she e e s (in e iew in he newspape Ga a, 5 Janua y 2008, we suppose)
does no say wha he ladyship p esumes i o say. Bu , in any case, how could he
people who ha e been denounced ha e known in No embe 2006 wha ETA was
going o say in Janua y 2008?”8.
The Audiencia Nacional, based in Mad id, is a special cou wi h a na ional scope,
whose c ea ion, main enance and ac i i y has been denounced by di e en public
and ju idical sec o s o ailing o espec he igh o a ai ial, along wi h o he
human igh s. I s main powe s a e conce ned wi h ying o ences o e o ism,
8 Conce ned abou he cha ac e ha he ep ession agains he an i-HST ac i is s in he Basque Coun y
was acqui ing, ju is s and uni e si y lec u e s, on one side, and membe s o he ecologis mo emen , on
he o he , w o e his le e ha we sen o di e en Basque newspape s in o de o denounce he
c iminaliza ion o ac i is s who, ac ing publicly and in a non- iolen o m, we e being ea ed judicially as
suspec ed e o is s. See Alonso e al. (2008).
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se e al e i o ial ju isdic ions (p o inces).
Al hough he Audiencia Nacional e u ned he case o he Tolosa Cou , a guing ha
i was no wi hin i s compe ence, he Depa men o he In e io o he Basque
Go e nmen a emp ed o p oceed along he pa h ha had been opened up. In
Augus ha yea , and employing a simila a gumen , i dis ibu ed an in e nal
ci cula , ins uc ing ha he police s a emen s connec ed wi h p o es ac ions
agains he HST should be p ocessed in he Audiencia Nacional, wi h he accusa ion
o a icle 577 o he Penal Code: e o is o ences commi ed by hose who
“wi hou belonging o an a med gang, o ganiza ion o e o is g oup and wi h he
aim o … se iously dis u bing he public peace o ha o con ibu ing o such ends,
e i ying he inhabi an s o a own o he membe s o a social, poli ical o
p o essional collec i e…” This was accompanied wi h an Annex con aining di e en
news i ems om newspape s ela ed o ETA’s h ea s agains he HST o whoe e
migh ake pa in i s cons uc ion.
Al hough he Audiencia Nacional in a iably ejec ed hem, in he case o hose
a es ed ollowing he demons a ion in U bina in Janua y 2009, his “ e o is
accusa ion” jus i ied hei emaining in he police s a ion o nea ly h ee days un il
he Audiencia Nacional e used o y he case. Mon hs la e , one pe son had o
decla e be o e he Na ional Cou ’s P osecu ion O ice o Mino s o he
a o emen ioned ac ion o climbing and emaining in a ee (Bilbao, Oc obe 2009).
Wi h he same line o a gumen , nume ous s a emen s o he Basque Police agains
o he collec i es (you h cen e s, in e na ionalis s, SEGI…) du ing ha pe iod
included he equisi ion o pamphle s, pos e s and o he legal documen s
campaigning agains he HST as e idence o he impu a ion o e o ism. Indeed,
his was despi e he High Cou poin ing ou , in he Ruling ha banned ANV
(Sep embe 2008), ha “ he e a e no da a a all ha make i possible o a i m ha
he coincidence o ANV wi h ETA in i s discou se agains he High Speed T ain
ex ends o suppo ing o jus i ying he me hods ha ETA is ca ying ou …”.
None heless, he Depa men o he In e io o he Basque Go e nmen con inued
o hink and ac o he wise o a ime.
Finally, he Audiencia Nacional did accep wi hin i s compe ence he case o 3
people epo ed o holding up he am in Bilbao using lowe po s (in a symbolic
ac ion o s opping de elopmen alism om des oying na u e) and pain ing “You hs
agains he HST” and “HST NO” inside he am (Bilbao, July 2009). The p osecu o
demanded 3 yea s o p ison, 9 yea s disquali ica ion and a 24 mon h ine o each
o he accused, al hough he Ruling ul ima ely only sen enced wo people o 18
mon hs/ ine wi h a quo a o 105 €/day.
A p esen , he e a e s ill dozens o people impu ed o cha ged wi h ac ions in
nume ous p ocesses awai ing ial, no o men ion he adminis a i e sanc ions
( ines) imposed o awai ing esolu ion o adminis a i e in ac ions ela ed o
“ allies wi hou p io no i ica ion” (Co cue a Law) o he non-paymen o ain
icke s wi hin he campaign o ci il disobedience (T anspo Law). Some o hese
ines we e imposed e en a e a uling o acqui al.
5. Social pa icipa ion and decision-making
One o he main con ibu ions o he social mo emen agains he HST has been he
denuncia ion o he p ojec as an imposi ion, as well as he demand o popula
pa icipa ion in decision-making conce ning he cons uc ion o his in as uc u e.
On many occasions, he slogan “No o imposi ion: hal he cons uc ion wo k,
deba e and popula decision-making” has been placed be o e he unde lying
demand i sel : “No o he HST”. Jus as yea s be o e, he i s slogans in he
s uggle agains he Lemoiz nuclea powe s a ion had been “hal he cons uc ion
wo k, deba e and popula decision-making”, pa icula ly a he beginning and un il
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he consumma ion o he nuclea imposi ion ma ked he s ep om “Lemoiz geldi u!
[S op Lemoiz!]” o “Lemoiz apu u! [Demolish Lemoiz!]”.
Acco ding o an i-HST ac i is s, decisions a e aken many yea s p e iously in
Eu opean ins i u ions, unde p essu e om impo an lobbies o economic in e es s,
and a e la e accep ed wi h pleasu e in he head o ices o he poli ical pa ies
wi hou e en being submi ed o elec o al deba e, be o e subsequen ly being gi en
he a nish o pa liamen a y app o al and adminis a i e p ocedu es.
The popula ion as a whole is no p o ided wi h anspa en , igo ous and b oad
in o ma ion abou he o e all p ojec , i s implica ions and cos s, no abou he
successi e s eps ha a e being aken. This is only ca ied ou o mally when he
de ini i e and i e e sible decision has al eady been aken, and in he minimum
o m equi ed by he laws: he Sec o al Railway Te i o ial Plan and pa ial
e i o ial plans o he zones along he ou e; successi e s udies o he
en i onmen al impac ; lis s o exp op ia ions, e c.
Ha ing seen he de elopmen o hei planning condi ioned o many yea s by
ha ing o lea e e y wide ese e s ips un il he ou e h ough hei municipali y is
speci ied, he Municipal Councils ha e also no had any g ea e anspa ency o
in o ma ion a ailable o hem.
Only when he social mo emen o opposi ion achie ed a le el o e ec i eness and
social mobiliza ion ha migh place he execu ion o he p ojec a isk did he
Basque Go e nmen begin o launch supposed in o ma i e campaigns o con ince
he popula ion o he bene olence and bene i s o he HST. Thus, he Basque
Go e nmen p esen ed i s “in o ma ion channel on he HST” in he Euskalduna
Palace o Bilbao in No embe 2006. When p esiden Iba e xe began o speak, 14
people exhibi ed lags saying “AHT geldi u!” and a councilo om I sasondo
a emp ed o ead a speech. All o hem we e expelled, denounced and la e
sen enced o “public diso de ”. This was a singula way o unde s anding he
meaning o dialogue. I had al eady been indica ed mon hs be o e by Nu ia López
de Ge eñu, councilo o T anspo , when, in esponse o eques s o deba e, she
eplied ha “ he e is no hing o be discussed wi h espec o he HST”, in i ing he
submission o sugges ions o “imp o emen ” on a p ojec ha had been decided
upon.
While he e is a lood o ideas wi hin he mos a ied ins i u ional o ums abou
“ omen ing public pa icipa ion”, “democ a ic go e nance”, co- esponsibili y o
socie y in decision-making”, among many o he s, no mally expounded by wise
consul an s paid by he ins i u ions who o ganize such o ums, his is he example
o “in o ming, deba ing, e lec ing and deciding” when he e is alk o conc e e
p ojec s as a - eaching in i s e ec s as he HST (and o he p ojec s ha a e
conside ed s a egic).
5.1. Municipal pa icipa ion and democ acy
Facing his, qui e a ew Municipal Councils along he ou e o he HST ha e opened
a new line o ac ion in ecen yea s by holding democ a ic consul a ions ega ding
his in as uc u e. The i s was he small council o U bina (June 2006), whe e he
i s wo ks s a ed sho ly a e , wi h a esul o 94% pa icipa ion and 100%
opposi ion o he passage o he HST. La e , many o he Municipal Councils ha e
ollowed his example, wi h 14 consul a ions held ( igu es om May 2009) wi h
a ying pa icipa ion (be ween 31% and 97%) and an o e whelming “no” o he
p ojec in such ins ances9.
The “delega es” o he cen al go e nmen in he Basque Coun y soon made an
a emp o abo hese consul a i e p ocesses. In se e al municipali ies (including
Elo io, A amaio and I u zun, amongs o he s), hey ecei ed wa nings and h ea s
9 A mo e de ailed lis can be ound in Ba cena (2009).
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o judicial ac ions i hey con inued wi h hei in en ion o holding municipal
e e endums on he HST, based upon he a gumen ha such p ocedu es we e he
p e oga i e o he s a e. Despi e his, some con inued o be hold, employing he
o mula o consul a ion o municipal su ey, o ganized by ei he he Municipal
Council i sel o social collec i es in he municipali y, wi h he suppo o he o me .
This la e sys em o ci izens’ o ganiza ion did no ee he mayo o A amaio
(A aba) om a complain o abuse o public us , disobedience o au ho i y and
misusing public unds due o his suppo o he consul a ion held in Sep embe
200710. Cu iously, hese we e he same h ee o ences ha he Spanish
go e nmen ied o a ibu e o he Lendaka i – p esiden o he Basque
Au onomous Communi y - Iba e xe, based upon his in en ion o ca y ou a
consul a ion on his peace plan in he Basque Au onomous Communi y.
The ques ion mus be asked: is he e any hing less iolen and mo e democ a ic
han a popula consul a ion? In he Sou he n Basque Coun y, i is pe cei ed as a
c iminal a ai by some o he poli ical au ho i ies. Meanwhile, in he No he n
Basque Coun y (in he F ench s a e), some consul a ions ha e been o ganized by
local au ho i ies wi hou any speci ic p oblems.
5.2. The HST p ojec is s ill unde way
A p esen , he wo ks o he “Basque Y” o he HST a e p oceeding on many o i s
sec ions, albei a a slowe hy hm due o he economic c isis. F om he beginning,
he Basque Go e nmen and he economic in e es s commi ed o he HST ha e
a emp ed o communica e he i e e sible cha ac e o his in as uc u e and
decision o socie y. Indeed, he momen o s a ing he wo ks, when he i s
symp oms o he c isis could al eady be el , and he o m in which hey we e
simul aneously s a ed a many poin s in he e i o y, poin owa ds his.
Today, hey con inue o insis ha he ime o deba e has passed, al hough i is
he same people who ha e always e used o ake pa in any ype o deba e. Thus,
he T anspo Councilo , Nu ia López de Ge eñu, who is cu en ly he gene al
sec e a y o he Basque business con ede a ion “Con ebask”, can allow he sel o
say ha “ he g ea es agg ession we could make o he en i onmen would be no
o build he Y”. A simple s oll h ough any o he wo ks a eas makes any commen
on his unnecessa y.
None heless, and despi e he se ious en i onmen al damages ha he wo ks a e
al eady p o oking, i is s ill possible o u n back. The hal ing o cons uc ion wo k
on o he Spanish sec ions o he HST (including some lines ha ha e been closed
due o lack o p o i abili y), he unce ain ies abou he F ench TGV in he No he n
Basque Coun y, he Po uguese e usal o de elop he HST p ojec and e en he
lack o decision on he necessa y in as uc u es in he Basque p o incial capi als
make i e en mo e necessa y o hold he deba e ha has been pu loined up un il
now.
In eali y, despi e appea ances, he eal expendi u e made un il now migh oscilla e
be ween 15 and 20% o he o al en isaged. Mo e han 80% o he o al cos , 4 ou
o e e y 5 €, is ye o ha e been spen . Meanwhile, all he high speed lines in Spain
a e below he h eshold o p o i abili y; hey a e loss-making and he e o e
ep esen an addi ional added expense.
The wo sening economic and social c isis and he eno mous cu backs in public
expendi u e and basic se ices (social assis ance, heal h, educa ion, e c) a e la gely
he esul o hese megalomaniacal in es men s. The Spanish s a e is ha wi h he
10 Al hough he consul a ion was no o ganized by he Municipal Council i sel , he mayo was accused
and con ic ed a i s ins ance by a Penal Cou and ba ed om public o ice o abuse o public us .
Finally, in Feb ua y 2011, he P o incial Cou o A aba annulled he uling and ound he mayo innocen
o all he cha ges. Six hund ed and se en y- h ee esiden s ook pa in he consul a ion, ou o a o al
o 1,280 people who had he igh o o e.
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Ca los Alonso, Iñaki Ba cena, Iza o Go os idi Rep ession and C iminaliza ion o he Ecologis …
mos high speed kilome e s in Eu ope, he majo i y o which ha e been buil in
ba ely en yea s, al hough his has no p e en ed i om also being amongs hose
wi h he highes numbe o unemployed. I is ime o s op and hink.
5.3. New imes: Towa ds he end o he ep ession? Is deba e s ill possible?
The disp opo iona ely ep essi e esponse o he s uggle agains he HST and he
pe manen e usal o engage in join deba e ha e opened up an eno mous di ide
be ween hose in a o o and agains his in as uc u e. Howe e , i is in no
espec g ea e han he wound opened up in his socie y by he poli ical
con on a ion and i s ansla ion in o a highly i ulen a med con on a ion. Indeed,
he e a e pa allel and ela ed aspec s o some deg ee.
Today, wi h some channels ha ing been opened up o supe seding he mos bloody
and iolen aspec o his con lic and some ligh being glimpsed a he end o he
unnel, i should be simple o seek amewo ks o deba e ha ende i possible o
deal wi h he HST in mo e a ional e ms o social de elopmen , en i onmen al
sus ainabili y and he economic si ua ion; o , a leas , he condi ions ha e
imp o ed, i he e is a willingness o make good use o hem.
Howe e , his is no going o p e en each side om p oposing i s a gumen s, da a
and easons, and de ending i s p oposals; by con as , i will u he acili a e i ,
albei no o hem o be used as a p ojec ile weapon o o concealing o he
in e es s behind hem, bu a he in o de o hem o be exchanged and o seek
amongs e e yone he bes al e na i es in he line o de eloping a mo e a ional
and sus ainable model o anspo (and coun y, in sho ).
Some pa hs in his di ec ion we e al eady indica ed in Feb ua y 2008, when a
sha pening o he con on a ion on he HST issue could be en isaged: “We eques
ha he ins i u ions in ol ed (Spanish, Basque and Na a e go e nmen s) pu a
hal o he wo ks ha a e unde way on he HST and open a wide p ocess o
in o ma ion, deba e and social pa icipa ion in ela ion o his in as uc u e and he
public anspo model in he Basque Coun y, which we belie e should be
ecological and sus ainable. All o his o enable Basque socie y o speak ou , and
eely and esponsibly exp ess i s posi ion acing he HST” (Ekologis ak Ma xan
2008).
As we ha e seen abo e, om he pe spec i e o he in es men made and ha
pending, deba e is s ill possible. Mo eo e , a democ a ic decision wi h social
pa icipa ion is also possible.
Finally, o his end i would also be necessa y o ackle he issue wi h no mali y and
espec o dissidence, a oiding media demoniza ion and judicial c iminaliza ion o
he opponen , he ad e sa y o wha is di e en . Fu he mo e, gi en he lack o
equali y o means o exp ession, i should also in ol e accep ing he legi imacy o
peace ul social p o es , wi hin socie y and on he s ee ; wi h he no mali y wi h
which his is achie ed in o he coun ies, as well as he no mali y wi h which o he
issues a e ea ed. The mo emen ha has de eloped in he Spanish S a e since 15
May (15 M) is an example o his; in sho , ceasing e e y ype o ep ession agains
social ac i ism.
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