MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gibraltar and La Linea committed to share ‘a common socio-economic future’

Ms Araujo and Caruana, “what’s good for Gibraltar is good for La Linea and what is bad for La Linea is bad for Gibraltar” (Photo gib.net)

Gibraltar and La Linea are meant to “share a common socio-economic future” Chief Minister Peter Caruana declared Tuesday in the neighbouring Spanish town hall after his first official meeting with the new Socialist (PSOE) mayor Gemma Araujo.

Emphasizing the improved political climate since former Mayor Alejandro Sanchez was ousted from power at the last local election Ms Araujo said Mr Caruana’s official visit was “an important gesture of a mutual desire to improve cross-border relations both at an institutional level and to bring our communities closer together”.

Chief Minister also expressed his happiness at the resumption of cordial political and institutional links between the Gibraltar Government and the municipal authority. Mr Caruana said he had always made an effort with all previous mayors and had only abandoned this when it had “become impossible to maintain the relationship.”

Caruana and Ms Araujo said they had agreed on “a political attitude” and a style that would remain committed to the overriding aim of promoting close cooperation between both local administrations, so that this impacts positively on the quality of life enjoyed by citizens.

Speaking at a press conference, Mr Caruana noted that gone were those days in the distant past when people used to say that if Gibraltar was doing well, it did not matter if La Linea was doing badly and vice-versa.

“What is good for Gibraltar is good for La Linea and what is bad for La Linea is bad for Gibraltar. With a more open Europe, more regional dependence and a globalized world economy, those kind of localised comments are useless and inefficient,” said Mr Caruana.

Caruana said that, independently of the defence of Gibraltar’s interests which he has pursued at other political levels and negotiating tables, “our societies have to co-exist and our job as politicians is to make citizens distinguish the political problems that can create rifts between us, from our mutual need of each other, and from the need to lead our lives as best as possible to be able to deliver the maximum social benefits for the citizens on both sides”.

Mayor Ms Araujo announced the creation of a joint education program for the exchange of language skills between young Gibraltarians and their Linense counterparts, to be launched shortly with the additional benefit of improving and promoting youth contacts on both sides, giving more people the possibility of getting to know each other.

“We want to create more opportunities for cooperation with Gibraltar in business and sporting areas, and through social and cultural activities. The finality of all these projects is to create jobs.”

Ms Araujo acknowledged that Gibraltar generated substantial employment for La Linea workers, which Spanish administrations had been unable to do.