The PNV amends Ribera in the duel between Iberdrola and Repsol and aligns itself with Imaz: "We must not divert the focus. This is about joining forces" The ties that unite the Basque party with both companies are equally strong.

Repsol has more than 1,000 people on staff at Petronor, generates 6,200 indirect jobs and accounts for 40% of the traffic in the port of Bilbao. The balance of the PNV has tilted towards the oil company, partly due to the industrial vocation to which Tapia alluded.