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Gibraltar accuses Spain of foul play ahead of EC visit to check border controls
Gibraltar has accused Spain of a “crude, last minute” attempt to “disguise and conceal” its normal customs checks at the border, just days ahead of a visit by the European Commission. The EC team arrives on Wednesday and will consist of six experts on EU customs controls and border matters. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesThis isn't too unexpected surely.
Sep 24th, 2013 - 07:58 am - Link - Report abuse 0Tight schedule?
Sep 24th, 2013 - 08:08 am - Link - Report abuse 0It's taken them weeks to get there, and now they're saying they don't have time to talk to the very people (EU Citizens no less) about how these illegal delays are affecting them?
The EC needs to learn to listen to the citizens of the EU. If it doesn't the EU is doomed to failure.
However, the evidence collected should show that this is Spain acting desperately and illegally, and also trying to cover up their own illegal activities.
The EC should handle this case with care AND complete independence, and judge this purely on the evidence.
If they don't then the UK should definitely get out of Europe and let them rot. Germany alone cannot keep the EU from sinking. France is a basketcase right now financially. So the UK's contribution is extremely important.
And if the UK leaves, more countries will follow, and the EU will fail.
The UK will leave, UKIP are going blow the whole thing up at the EU elections.
Sep 24th, 2013 - 08:22 am - Link - Report abuse 0A UKIP victory in the Euro elections would certainly gave a mandate for an in-out referendum in the following parliament. However, for that referendum to take place the Tories would need to win an outright majority which they won't if UKIP run. So it will be interesting to see if UKIP take one for the team in 2015 in order to get the referendum. I'm not holding my breath.
Sep 24th, 2013 - 08:34 am - Link - Report abuse 0That Bloom guy was funny though - he should be on the telly.
An urgent and detailed inspection that takes nearly a month to organise, announces the dates of it's inspection more than a week in advance, takes three days and can't stop for long enough to actually speak to any members of the public.
Sep 24th, 2013 - 10:33 am - Link - Report abuse 0My guess is that they won't have time to meet any members of the local electorate as they'll have to head back to start writing up their report, which (going on their normal level of uselessness) will no doubt make fine reading sometime aroundabout 2017.
I heard the Swedes arrived by car weeks ago but have been stuck in queues.
Sep 24th, 2013 - 10:46 am - Link - Report abuse 0The ton of evidence amassed by Gibraltar is indisputable, Spain have shot themselves in the foot as we knew they would.
Leaving the EU, well Spain can then do what they like at the Gibraltar border then. Or can someone correct me on this? I'm not a fan of the EU but I'd be more keen to leave it if Spain is allowed to behave like this. I would also seek to remove them from NATO, I don't want to protect them any longer... or is my view just being sullied by the action of a few air head politicians?
Hey, you wanted a border.
Sep 24th, 2013 - 02:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Doesn't really matter what the inspection finds, change of tactics at most. Spain will always win in the end.
I wonder - London has a congestion charge. Maybe LaLinea can have one too.
For a place with as many companies as citizens and a tax rate 1/3rd of its neighbors, with its economy heavily based on gambling and environmentally unsound oil bunkering, Gibraltar would be better off not attracting EU attention.
Oh yes kick Spain out of nato. (strange ...but good luck)
Oh how the EU will collapse in a ball of fire without GB....mmm nooo I dont think so.
@7
Sep 24th, 2013 - 03:02 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Err...yeah I would think so, if one of the largest and biggest contributor's leaves the EU club, it will spark anti-EU feeling in multiple other countries that if the UK can leave then why can't we?
Anti-EU parties are on the rise in almost every single EU member state, and UKIP are becoming a beacon for Eurosceptics everywhere.
Perhaps U.K.I.P.’s Walla’s in Brussels ought to stir-rup a great fuss, demanding that at least one of their number be included in the Inspection Team? That at least, might gee up the lethargic, bloated, bloodsucking, Euro-bureaucrat beasts into EFFECTIVE action.
Sep 24th, 2013 - 03:21 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The British gov’t could do much, of course. Our taxpayers still pay out huge sums daily, in funds to the E.U.–a practice which should be suspended ‘sine dei’ If the French faced a similar impasse, it wouldn’t be tolerated for two frigging minutes! And we all know just how our German Paymaster has reacted to the fiscal Mickey-taking practiced by certain ‘clever dick’ E.U. regimes.
Of course, almost everyone is also aware that certain E.U. member states’ gov’ts (including Spain’s) rush to sign up to virtually EVERYTHING but actually IMPLEMENT just about NOTHING.
So why should any more bar bills when we’re we get such short measure?
Jim, in Madrid.
Really #8
Sep 24th, 2013 - 03:47 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Other than the fact that anti-EU parties exist (and have done so from day 1, making little difference so far) and that GB is an important part of the EU what evidence do you have to show that if GB leave the EU that others will follow ?
- Its your assertion, so back it with some stats or citations.
Something that isn't speculation in 'The Sun'.
Heres my baseless assertion, if Britain leaves Europe it will lose billions and find a sizable drop in future trade from EU countries.
-When you give me some compelling evidence that France, Germany, Spain, Austria and Italy among others will automatically and quickly follow Britain's lead, despite their domestic situations, then Ill do likewise.
Jim....in Madrid of all places.... but wouldn't thousands of your fellow Britons have to go home if Britain left the EU?
Maybe you too?
@2 Wonder why the EC didn't “think” of using one of their EU aircraft to fly direct to Gibraltar. Does it matter which side of the border activities are monitored from? Although Gibraltar has weeks of video evidence. Why start on the criminal side of the border? But I wonder if Barraso, being Portuguese and a communist has a latino/Spanish agenda. Britain should be prepared to mobilise and crush Spanish colonialist imperialist aspirations.
Sep 24th, 2013 - 04:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@7 No, kiddikins, Spain will LOSE. As it always has every time it has come up against Britain. I wonder how La Linea would justify a congestion charge where the congestion is caused by the paramilitary thugs of the Guardia Civil. I've been there. Have you? I walked across the border. Nobody said squat. Of course, criminal, or poor, Spaniards are big on smuggling. And there's a lot of criminal poor Spaniards. Best thing to do is to close the border from the Gibraltar side. Who cares about the 10,000 Spaniards employed in Gibraltar? Let them go on welfare benefits. How's bankrupt Spain going to cope with that?
Bunkering? Perhaps you should pay more attention to the Spanish bunkering in Algeciras. Or the land reclamation on the Spanish side of the Bay. But you won't. Latinos stick together. And Brits will have to teach them another lesson.
As for Spain and foul play, what else would we expect? Spain is pretty foul. And so is everything it does!
“Britain should be prepared to mobilise and crush Spanish colonialist imperialist aspirations” lololol. Ah Conqueror, you never let me down.
Sep 24th, 2013 - 06:18 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Tell me again of the Apache helicopters hidden in the rock.
But does LaLinea have to justify a domestic/regional congestion charge....that is the question. (looking into it, seems not so far).
Just by chance I stumbled upon this little treat: “ Hong Kong Island and Kowloon had been ceded to the United Kingdom in perpetuity”
It was the 'new territories' that had the 99 year lease.
So it seems that 'perpetuity' isn't so perpetual.
Did I tell you about the whole falklands' exports thing, turns out Spain takes 80% of Malvinas exports. - Are they still so foul ?? Can I get a 'NO'.
One would have to wonder,
Sep 24th, 2013 - 07:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If Spain is being clever,
Or the EU officials blind and dumb,
It does not take a genius to work out what the Spanish are up to,
After all, it’s been all the worlds TV and newspapers,
Unless of course the EU nomads can’t read..lol
But with these so called modern day allies,
You certainly don’t need enemies..?
just a thought.
@12
Sep 24th, 2013 - 07:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Now that is a coincidence, because they also take 80% of the Falkland Islands exports.
What does the Mythical Malvinas export to Spain, fairy dust?
Vestige- HongKong irrelevant - it was impossible to exist withount the new territories anymore - that was simply why the whole was returned with the end of the new territory lease.
Sep 24th, 2013 - 08:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Gibraltar is in a different situation - it did survive for many years without an open border with Spain - and could do again if Madrid acts stupid like Argentina does.
I suspect though that at the end of the day Madrid will see sense again.
Actually I susp[ect the Far Eastern bloc takes a lot more fish from out waters than Spain. The dont pay for the fish as such - they pay for the licences - and there are amany more Orientals than Spanish.
Yes here Sp[ain is well regarded - their fishing companies comply with the rules etc - and fly the FI flag if they are registered here.
predicted!!
Sep 24th, 2013 - 08:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0only because the Spanish govt is stupid!
#14 - mostly mollusks ... it would seem.
Sep 24th, 2013 - 08:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0(even I still can't believe it). Anyway, you can look up the economy of falklands on wiki, or you can google it, or you can ask troy tempest to point you to the relevant page. But yes, ~80% it seems.
#15
Hong Kong is not irrelevant, it was ceded in perpetuity. Its no longer in British hands, (even with lots of people there being unhappy with the change). Ceded in perpetuity is now whats irrelevant.
Falkland Islands exports mostly molluscs
Sep 24th, 2013 - 08:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Malvinas exports total bollocks!
10 Vestige et al.
Sep 24th, 2013 - 08:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Re: Jim....in Madrid of all places.... but wouldn't thousands of your fellow Britons have to go home if Britain left the EU? Maybe you too?
I doubt that the Spanish Treasury would wish to relinquish the juicy tax revenues it squeezes from its myriad foreign residents. Many of us were here long before the inception of the E.U. –an entity heartily hated by many, many Spaniards, too! Remember that other old soldier (from WWI) Robert Graves’ “I CLAUDIUS”? Unless, I’m mistaken, he wrote the work here, during the perilously tumultuous 1920/30’s. Not all Britons come here for an easy time. Some of our number are obviously raving masochists!
Personally, I’m an infinitely less gifted writer than Graves. However, thanks to the internet –I can churn out my rubbish from anywhere in the world, climatically congenial, or not.
12 Vestige.
Re: Did I tell you about the whole Falklands' exports thing, turns out Spain takes 80% of Malvinas exports. - Are they still so foul ?? Can I get a 'NO'.
14 reality check.
Re: Now that is a coincidence, because they also take 80% of the Falkland Islands exports.
FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME, IT’S THE MONSTROUS, TAX-DODGING MULTINATIONALS WHO RUN THE WORLD –OUR POLITICIANS ARE MERELY THEIR SERVILE MOUTHPIECES!!!
Cheers!
Jim, in Madrid.
Jim
Sep 24th, 2013 - 09:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Relax it's called taking the piss!
18 reality check
Sep 24th, 2013 - 09:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Re: Relax it's called taking the piss!
Thank Christ for that. Now I can lean back and enjoy my favourite spectator sport...
Cheers!
Jim.
“I doubt that the Spanish Treasury would wish to relinquish the juicy tax revenues it squeezes from its myriad foreign residents.”
Sep 24th, 2013 - 10:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0And I'm guessing GB has the same outlook.
#18 - interesting take on the facts.
These “Gallegos” are dumber than us Argentines. Never had to lift the blockade that implement Franco, let alone have signed agreements with the “pirates” and its colony. Now they can not stand back without losing face. The Argentina was more cunning and never signed any agreement with the usurpers of our islands, so if one of these days want to interrupt the flight from the mainland to the islands we could do it without any problems ..
Sep 24th, 2013 - 11:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“”“”Now I can lean back and enjoy my favourite spectator sport...“”“”
Sep 25th, 2013 - 12:02 am - Link - Report abuse 0*yawn*
“”“The Argentina was more cunning and never signed any agreement with the usurpers of our islands,”“”“
they aint your islands, and you DID sign away any and all claims in that ”perfect friendship” document that puts bigger holes into any Argentine claim than torps did in the Belgrano.
Argentines are more cunning than that!
Sep 25th, 2013 - 04:51 am - Link - Report abuse 0Oh yeah, like starting a war and thus ensuring never getting a sniff of any form of a sovereignty deal, this side of a new millennia, is cunning?
Ferk me, can not wait to see what your next gem is!
@23 Xavier
Sep 25th, 2013 - 10:39 am - Link - Report abuse 0“ Never had to lift the blockade that implement Franco, let alone have signed agreements with the “pirates” and its colony”
They kinda did, the free movement of people and goods between member states is one of the cornerstones on which the EU is built. And Spain has done very nicely out of the EU (I can't find any records of them actually being a net contributor rather than a net benificiary in any year at all). They seem to have some degree of cognitive dissociation between honouring their agreements (i.e. the free movement of people) and the massive amounts that the receive from the EU.
26 Rufus
Sep 25th, 2013 - 12:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Essentially, you’re right. But Spain became a “net contributor” to the E.U.’s coffers, some years’ ago. And, surprise, surprise, this was the precise juncture at which the country’s economy began its vertiginous descent into the darkest realms of working-class pauperism.
Gone were the glory days of Brussel’s almost unbridled largesse –of fabulous funds fiddled and wasted by Iberia’s big bankers and politicians. And everything suddenly came back down to earth, with a hell of a thud!
Cheers!
Jim, in Madrid.
@12 There you are, poor fool. “By 1997, it was impractical to separate the three territories and only return the New Territories.” Did you forget to read that bit? “Thatcher later said that that Xiaoping told her bluntly that China could easily take Hong Kong by force, stating that ”I could walk in and take the whole lot this afternoon“. Thatcher replied that ”there is nothing I could do to stop you, but the eyes of the world would now know what China is like“. Get the picture? Britain could have retained Hong Kong Island and Kowloon at the expense of a war. And neither could have been supplied.
Sep 25th, 2013 - 03:41 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Exports. Would that be because the Spanish will go anywhere to fish? Surprising that they pay for licences.
@17 Dumb as they come. Why don't you try a map? Can you see that the ”New Territories“ are on one side of a street and Kowloon is on the other. Do something exceptional. Think!
@23 What do you call that ”treaty“ thing in 1850 that ended ALL disputes?
@27 But Spain isn't a ”net contributor” anymore. As of 2009 budget data, it is a net recipient, i.e. sponger. As of that date, it sponges 444 million euros a year. But, by comparison, both Cyprus and Ireland ARE net contributors. Actually, amongst the spongers, Spain compares to Latvia and Slovakia. Not surprising really. Economic incompetence usually leads to either fascism or communism.
“it was impractical to separate the three territories and only return the New Territories” and blah blah blah excuses excuses. Perpetuity still doesn't seem very perpetual does it.
Sep 25th, 2013 - 03:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“ Britain could have retained Hong Kong Island and Kowloon” - lol doesn't quite do this justice. emmm ...nope.
Kinda Ceded in perpetuity mostly, but not really. When we say ceded we mean stolen and when we say perpetuity we mean til something goes wrong in our plan.
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