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Banks Formalize Euskara‑First Service as Idiazabal Rail Survey Protest Draws Crowd

Basque‑first service will cover branches, digital platforms, staff training plus annual oversight.

Overview

  • UEMA and Kutxabank, Laboral Kutxa, and ABANCA/Bankoa have signed a four‑year agreement to prioritize Basque in services across 59 member municipalities.
  • Measures include greeting customers first in Basque, enabling all branch tasks in Basque, expanding internal use, updating IT systems, and offering staff training with a joint monitoring committee meeting at least annually.
  • Idiazabal hosted a large ‘STOP Zundaketak–AHTrik Ez’ mobilization against planned borehole tests for the Nafarroa corridor link to the Euskal Y, with affected town councils reporting they still lack official information.
  • Hydrogeologist Inma Mugerza outlined karst and groundwater risks tied to tunneling and surveys in the Aralar area, with a fuller public talk scheduled on Friday in Ataun.
  • Cultural calendar updates include Txaber Altube winning the Bizkaiko Bertsolari semi‑final ahead of the Dec. 20 Bilbao final on ETB1, EITB’s ‘Zure ilunetan’ audio fiction now on GUAU, FIG Bilbao featuring five Hondarribia artists this week, and Arnasetik youth contest prizes set for Nov. 27 in Leitza.