Mattin Larzabal (Aiherra, 1950), a former journalist from the network Cinca Irratia and Euskal Irratiak, has died at the age of 70 due to a serious illness he suffered.

A Law Degree in Pau (Occitania), started in 1982 as a volunteer at Ensure Irratia, a year later he immersed himself professionally and made a successful journey of 30 years until his retirement. As Subai Colina wrote in ARGIA, he was awarded the Rikardo Arrangi de Honor 2012 Award.

"The Basques must be convinced that they do not live in the desert"

One year after the retreat, in December 2013, Subai Hill interviewed the young woman with the intention of portraying her. Asked about the situation of the Basque Country, Larzabal said that he is "curiously optimistic": "In Iparralde, the issue is complicated, but ikastolas are doing a lot of work, and bilingual schools, although in general the Basque language is not well learned and not practiced at home, are the starting point for those who want to return later. That seed can bear fruit, not immediately, but I believe that these people will find ways and reasons to speak and live in Basque. Socio-linguistic research says that, by practicing them in other languages, we must use everything that is in the interests of the Basque Country. Thus, despite not dominating the Basque Country, it is essential that people care about the Basque country. The Basques must be convinced that they do not live in the desert."

Journalism also spread during the interview. Questioned on the question of trust and care for freedom, he said: "When people hold the project by hand and with bellows, it feels at home in structures like Planes Irratia, and without looking at it, it tells you what and how to make it happen. I've often felt the interpersonal pressure to do some interested tests. It is true that a tool such as Qatar Irratia serves to disseminate other messages, but we must not forget that we are working as journalists. If you add to this that things never happen as you want and as you want, and when you make you understand that you have to start with something new in less than ten minutes to start the news series, they give you a few blows. For example, if a demonstration has been called for in the afternoon, should all morning news items start with that news? It is known that the organizers are from the Basque world, quite close to the radio, but this justifies the systematic priority? On many occasions I thought that today was not only that, but there were also other issues worth mentioning. If you start to comment on the facts, the reactions, the protest actions and all the reactions to the protest acts, you get a monographic series!"