José Antonio Santano, Secretary of State for Transport and authorized spokesperson for the Spanish Government on high-speed rail matters, has expressed optimism regarding the future of the 'Y' vasca railway project. Santano stated that he expects the project to be inaugurated before 2033, although a specific date has not yet been set.

Santano, former mayor of Bilbao and appointed by Minister Óscar Puente in 2023, highlighted the project's complexity and its importance for mobility in the Basque Country. He explained that the decision for the TAV to reach Abando station in Bilbao on the surface was made over establishing a temporary station in Basauri, as the latter was not suitable for developing the main station's full capacity.

According to Santano, the primary goal of the 'Y' vasca is not only to connect the Basque capitals with Madrid and Barcelona but also to boost internal mobility. It is projected that more than 20 million passengers will move within the region in the future, which "will change the paradigm of the territory" and create a ""euskal hiria"" (Basque city).

Regarding the delays in station construction, Santano acknowledged that the project is "one of the most complex railway works in Spain and Europe," and that economic crises have also impacted investment. However, he emphasized that Basque institutions will contribute 50% of the funding and that the agreements are "historic".

Regarding the rail connection to Navarra, Santano indicated that the decision will be made soon, after the studies in Aralar are completed. "We are not going to impose anything," he said, adding that the decision will be agreed upon with the Basque Government.

On the works to improve the connection with France, Santano admitted that the situation is "complicated," but both he and the minister have pressured French authorities to speed up the works. "Europe" could be the solution, by providing additional funds to connect the continent with priority railway routes.