The Governing Council has today approved the Alokaplus program, a free public insurance intended to offer guarantees to property owners who rent out their homes in areas declared as stressed residential market zones. This initiative seeks to facilitate the incorporation into the rental market of approximately 25,000 vacant homes in these high-demand areas, providing security and certainty to both landlords and tenants.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Agenda, Denis Itxaso, stated that Alokaplus "is born to unlock housing where it is most needed." He explained, "In Euskadi, there are vacant homes in high-demand areas that are not entering the market due to specific fears and uncertainties. The public policy obligation is to untangle these problems, offer guarantees, and turn blocked properties into available homes." Itxaso emphasized that the program's objective is to "unlock up to 25,000 vacant homes in stressed municipalities through a public, free guarantee linked to reasonable prices." He added, "We are not just asking landlords to rent; we are giving them security to do so and preventing that security from translating into higher costs or barriers for tenants."
Alokaplus will cover unpaid rent, utilities paid by the owner, and damages to the property caused by the tenant's fault or negligence. Coverage will commence from the moment a court admits the claim for contract termination and repossession due to non-payment. Generally, the aid can cover a maximum of 14 monthly payments. This limit will be extended to 20 months if the tenant is 35 years old or younger, over 65, part of a single-parent household, or has dependents with functional or psychological diversity.
Separately, spokesperson Maria Ubarretxena announced the upcoming trip of Lehendakari Imanol Pradales to Brussels. This Wednesday, October 13th, he will participate in a working day focused on Euskadi's European priorities, particularly the promotion of the future Atlantic Macroregion, the defense of a strong cohesion policy, and the recognition of the role of regions and stateless nations in defining and applying European policies.
The main milestone will be the presentation and vote on the opinion regarding the Atlantic Macroregion during the Plenary of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR). The opinion, developed under Euskadi's leadership, aims to foster a future European strategy to strengthen cooperation among Atlantic territories and address shared challenges coordinately. The Lehendakari will also meet with Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Cohesion and Reforms, and Kata Tüttő, President of the European Committee of the Regions.
Regarding the new Indartuz Guaranteed Financing Line, the Basque Government has approved the decree developing it. This instrument is designed to facilitate access to credit for Basque companies, self-employed individuals, and sole traders undertaking strategic transformation and competitive improvement projects, as part of the Euskadi Eraldatuz 2030 strategy.
The Minister of Finance and Public Funds, Noël d’Anjou, explained that the line "is born to respond to the major challenges faced by Basque companies in a context marked by energy transition, digitalization, technological evolution, and the competitiveness demands of an increasingly complex global market." The objective is to provide financing to increase business size, strengthen international presence, incorporate advanced technologies, and move towards more sustainable production models. Financing will be directed at SMEs, eligible large companies, and self-employed individuals active in Euskadi. The initial call will have a budget of 100 million euros.
The Minister of Tourism, Commerce, and Consumption, Javier Hurtado, announced the budget increase for the Commercial Establishments Modernization Program (MEC), aimed at promoting the modernization of businesses and their adaptation to new consumption habits. The total funding for the program is increased by €500,000, bringing the total aid to €5,154,000.
Additionally, an agreement has been authorized for collaboration with the urban commerce platform Gasteiz On and the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council for the development of the urban commerce promotion program in Vitoria-Gasteiz for 2026. This agreement, with a total subsidized amount of €252,500, aims to improve the competitiveness and boost the Basque commercial sector.
In Donostia/San Sebastián, the Governing Council has authorized the free transfer of a plot in the Txomin Enea neighborhood by the Donostia / San Sebastián City Council for the construction of the new Loiola health center. The Basque Government will invest €9.4 million in the construction and equipment. The center will span 3,307 square meters across four floors, housing medical and nursing consultations, pediatrics, physiotherapy, and administrative services.
Two programs have been approved to promote the international mobility of doctoral and pre-doctoral researchers, with a combined investment of €1.28 million. The Ikermugikortasuna program (€400,000) promotes stays of two to six months at reference centers, while Egonlabur (€880,000) aims to complement training and facilitate the attainment of an international mention in the doctoral degree.
Finally, the call for 536 subsidized places for language courses abroad during the summer of 2027 has been approved. The Department of Education will contribute a maximum of €1,033,571.48. The call is aimed at students in the 3rd and 4th years of Compulsory Secondary Education and the 1st and 2nd years of Bachillerato enrolled in publicly funded schools in Euskadi. The two-week stays will take place in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, and Germany.
The Governing Council has authorized the extension of the V Basque Inclusion Plan (2022-2026) and the II Operational Plan (2025-2026) until the end of 2027. This measure ensures the continuity of social and labor inclusion policies in Euskadi, guaranteeing that ongoing actions and innovation processes are not interrupted.
Lastly, the decree regulating SAREA, the Network of Publicly Owned Performing Arts Spaces of Euskadi, has been approved. The new regulation establishes a stable framework for the organization and functioning of the network, strengthening collaboration between the Basque Government, provincial councils, and municipalities to promote diverse and quality professional programming. SAREA currently brings together 68 main performing arts venues in 59 municipalities.
