MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Gibraltar takes border queues dispute to Brussels: Spanish government 'furious'
“Gibraltar is now ‘officially’ an EU policy issue at the highest levels,” Sir Graham said. The Spanish Government is “furious” at Gibraltar’s high profile with EU decision makers, the Rock’s Liberal Democrat MEP, Sir Graham Watson, said on Monday. The lawmaker was speaking on the eve of a three-day visit to Brussels by a delegation from the Gibraltar Government led by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.
“Gibraltar is now ‘officially’ an EU policy issue at the highest levels,” Sir Graham said. “The queues at the frontier are the subject of an ongoing European Commission investigation.”
“Other national governments are getting more and more frustrated by Spain’s intractable single-mindedness on the issue.”
The Liberal Democrat MEP said the European Commission was paying attention to the situation at the border and Spain’s attitude toward the Rock. He said the Gibraltar Government’s policy of engaging with the Commission, coupled to the work of MEPs and the recent citizen protests in Brussels, had all helped to raise Gibraltar’s profile.
“We are making our voice heard [and] Madrid is furious,” Sir Graham said. “Despite the Commission’s verdict on the frontier, they are nonetheless at risk of getting into trouble in Brussels for what they are doing.”
“They are in the wrong, and they know it.”
The Gibraltar delegation includes deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia; chief secretary Ernest Gomez; chief legal advisor Michael Llamas; and Gibraltar’s UK representative, Albert Poggio.
The will meet European Commission officials at the highest levels in the Directorates-General responsible for home affairs, taxation, transport, customs, environment and single market.
The delegation will also be meeting key MEPs from across Europe to discuss its EU policy concerns.
Top Comments
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Read all commentsNo matter how you some people try to belittle the fact, the truth is that Gibraltar is part of the EU.
Feb 12th, 2014 - 01:24 am 0What did Spain think Gibraltar might do if they continued?
“The queues at the frontier are the subject of an ongoing European Commission investigation.”
Feb 12th, 2014 - 01:47 am 0“Gibraltar border row: no evidence of Spain breaking EU law, say inspectors”
“The government has expressed disappointment after the European commission found that Spain had broken no EU rules by stepping up checks on the border crossing into Gibraltar.”
Is there any chance Brussels' response will be to favor the group that is non “white”?
Feb 12th, 2014 - 01:51 am 0Or, if favoring the non-white group would be too obvious, then deliver a response that is neutral (so long as it doesn't help the UK side)?
I mean, it is totally obvious the border checks are punitive and the last time Brussels was addressed on this, it seemed for sure they'd tell Spain to cut it out. But they just delivered a neutral response, as if Spain was acting perfectly legitimately.
The EU is kind of bureaucratic and corrupt, isn't it? Like that UN Colony Committee? They are “in-your-face, we-don't care” biased. Maybe Brussels will be like that.
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