Egunkaria ("The daily") was for thirteen years the only fully Basque language newspaper in circulation, until it was closed down on February 20, 2003 by the Spanish authorities, due to allegations of an illegal association with ETA. The trial started nearly seven years after the closing down of Egunkaria. Even though the Prosecutor, the defence counsel and many cultural, social and political players have called for the case to be dropped, the Spanish National Criminal Court is determined to hold two trials.