Basque Premier visits Brussels on first official trip outside Euskadi

Basque Country's Premier Iñigo Urkullu met on Tuesday European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on the first of a set of meetings with representatives of the European institutions in order to present the Basque Government's program and its proposals to face the current economic, social and political challenges in Europe.

On his first official trip outside the Basque Country, Urkullu presented Barroso with the main broad lines of his policies for this term of office, focusing in those that target how to face the economic crisis and to create employment.

At this point, Urkullu pointed out that the easing of the deficit goals for the next few years could help to create employment and start the long-awaited recovery of economic growth.

After meeting Barroso, the Basque Premier met EU commissioner for home affairs Cecilia Malmstrom, whom he already met when he was the head of the Basque Nationalist Party back in 2010.

Urkullu presented the EU commissioner with the Plan of Peace and Coexistence included in the government program. Urkullu remarked the importance of the participation of the Basque Country in PEACE III, a programe funded by the EU for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland that aims to reinforce progress towards a peaceful and stable society.

The official visit will reach its end on Wednesday, when Urkullu will meet President of European Council Herman Van Rompuy.