The mayor of Donostia, speaking in Bilbao, emphasized the significance of collaboration among the Basque capitals, leaving behind past rivalries. He stated that for his generation, distances and barriers between cities have disappeared, and the goal is to champion each city's strengths and foster collective growth.
“"I would leave rivalries for football. For our generation, there are no walls or distances between Basque cities, and what we need to do is champion the strengths of each one and grow."
The mayor highlighted Donostia as the city of culture, science, and knowledge, while Bilbao stands out for its financial capacity and its drive for the entire territory, and Vitoria as the institutional capital and hub of the automotive industry. He advocated for close cooperation among the three cities, promoting the idea of a large Basque metropolis where what unites them far outweighs what separates them.
Regarding tourism management, the mayor of Donostia supported the implementation of a tourist tax, noting that Donostia has been advocating for it for a decade. Furthermore, he explained that measures have been taken to limit the opening of new hotels and tourist accommodations, as well as to regulate street visits, in order to acknowledge and address the impacts of tourism. In the area of security, he stressed that Donostia reports the origin of detainees, committing to transparency.
