Urkullu explained how, "compared to other options being discussed to manage the public sector from the remoteness of the central offices of power, our own experience encourages us to continue to develop our own self-government capacities as a fundamental tool underpinning our future".

The nationalist leader specifically referred to the Basque case in a financial crisis that is not the first in its history, as the Basque Country has lived through other recessions "which resulted in unemployment rates of over 20% at the end of the 1980s, but which, precisely, we were able to overcome using political determination and intelligence". According to Urkullu, "the Basque Country has been a benchmark laboratory for policies to help other European regions with a history of industrialisation to survive the recession".

The EAJ-PNV EBB Chairman set out the keys to the Basque exception to the financial crisis, keys for success which have been underpinned by five core areas: sustainable growth, integrating growth, youth unemployment, creating economic activity in new emerging sectors and the commitment to tourism and culture as seed projects for the economy and employment.