The President of the Euzkadi Buru Batzar, Andoni Ortuzar, today gave the Scottish ex-Prime Minister, Alex Salmond, the recognition and admiration of EAJ-PNV for his fight in favour of the National Freedom of Scotland "from legality and democracy." Ortuzar and Salmond held a meeting this afternoon in Sabin Etxea which lasted for three quarters of an hour. The two political leaders then shared a table in a restaurant in Bilbao. Salmond arrived at the end of the afternoon today in Bilbao. Tomorrow in the Arriaga Theatre, the Scottish leader will receive the prestigious prize from the Fundación Sabino Arana for his "leadership and for the model of democratic process and dialogue as an expression of the people's democratic wish, which in the Scottish case took the form of the independence referendum held on 18 September 2014. Salmond managed to institutionalise a flow for the free expression of the wish of the Scots and their legitimate democratic aspirations. Beyond the result of the referendum itself, the process was a significant milepost on the road to national construction in Scotland and the exercising of the democratic wish of the Scots," stated the promoters of the award.

In their meeting, Ortuzar and Salmond exchanged information on the political situation lived in their respective nations. The jeltzale leader explained to the Scottish ex-Prime Minister the work being carried out by the self-government working group of the Basque Parliament, the object of which is to achieve a new legal and political status for the Basque Country. They also discussed the uncertain political situation in the Spanish state after the elections of 20 December. Likewise, Ortuzar gave Salmond his recognition for the exemplary normality with which the Scots held their independence referendum a year and a half ago, a festival of democracy in which the President of the EBB took part in Edinburgh.