Spanish court OKs new Basque party

— Basque politicians have launched a nationalist party after Spain’s highest court ruled it could be established because it was not directly linked to the militant separatist group ETA.

Sortu was launched formally Saturday, eight months after the Constitutional Court said it could come into existence because it was different from ETA’s banned political wing, Batasuna.

At its inaugural congress, Hasier Arraiz was confirmed as president and a letter from imprisoned general secretary Arnaldo Otegi was read out.

Otegi is serving a 10-year sentence after being convicted in 2009 of trying to resurrect Batasuna.

Front Section, Pages 10 on 02/24/2013

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