Bilbao, 29 September 2026 – Lehendakari Imanol Pradales called for, at the opening of the judicial year at the Palacio de Justicia in Bilbao, a justice system that is fast, accessible and open to criticism. He called for citizens’ language rights in Euskadi to be guaranteed in practice and for Basque, Euskara, to be routinely taken into account in court proceedings. No one would accept that proceedings could not be conducted in Spanish because participants did not speak the language; the same logic must also apply to Euskara, he stressed.
Pradales linked his demands to a clear commitment to the separation of powers. Democracy rests on a clear division between the legislative, executive and judicial branches, as well as effective checks and balances. Judicial independence must not be confused with an absence of accountability or public debate. Respectful, reasoned criticism of decisions is part of a mature democratic culture, the Lehendakari said.
As concrete initiatives, Pradales cited the continuation of a model for the “Oficina Judicial” trialled in Euskadi, intended to make the courts’ internal organisation more efficient and more accessible to the public. He also announced initiatives for a restorative justice to consolidate existing mediation and support services and provide them with a legal basis. Other measures aimed to improve protection for particularly vulnerable groups and reduce the digital divide in access to justice.
On resources, Pradales recalled that 17 new posts had already been created the previous year to reduce workloads in the courts. He also called for closer operational cooperation between the police, prosecution service and judiciary, so that more cases could be concluded promptly and in full compliance with the rule of law.
Pradales placed his remarks within a broader goal: strengthening public confidence in institutions. He said the balance between judicial independence, accountable oversight and open, objective debate was crucial. The remarks were made at the official ceremony marking the opening of the judicial year in Bilbao, which, according to statements from the Gobierno Vasco and reports in regional media, was attended by senior representatives from the judiciary and government.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).