Claire Wilson
IF the summer of 2013 is to be remembered for one thing, it will have to be for the misery and chaos at the Gibraltar border.
Observers predicted that all the fuss would die down by autumn, when the Spanish parliament resat and politicians in Madrid had more weighty issues to contemplate-
But they reckoned without the special talent that Gibraltar’s Chief Minister has for upsetting those in Madrid. Fabian Picardo’s speech at the UN in New York mentioned Spain’s ‘invasions’ of territorial waters and drew an outraged response from politicians.
There were even mutterings from certain quarters that they were going to ‘get’ Picardo. And after earlier Spanish press articles trying to find something amiss about Picardo’s financial history and property dealings Madrid seems to have found a new hate figure.
What Mr Picardo is doing is showing up those fascists in Madrid for the abusers they are, since they are too cowardly to go to a court of justice to settle “their” dispute because they know they will lose. They even deny they shot at a jet-skier when the evidence is there for all to see!!! Treacherous lot “outraged” by the truth!!! But then they are spaniards.
The Spanish were going to do this anyway, just read the PP’s manifesto. CM said nothing but the truth at the UN. Bullies have to be stood up to. Enough said.
From a personal point of view, the PP were intent on tightening the screw since they were first elected. Margallo’s ” Gibraltar Espanol” statement at the first opportunity he got was a clear indication of this.
Can you imagine the popularity of a government in Spain if he achieved this?
However, his campaign has been ill construed, as applying pressure on what is after all a member of the EU has its consequences especially if your arguments have no legal standing and your measures are published world wide by EU members stuck in 8 hour queues.
Mr Picardo has, indeed, forced the issue by dropping the blocks to create an artificial reef. He wants Spain to take Gibraltar to international arbitration because he is sure that he will win. Proof of the matter is, Spain hasn’t done so.
Spain’s reaction has been to try and undermine Gibraltar in every single possible way but has achieved nothing. It, however, continues to harass frontier workers of all nationalities particularly Spanish. Unfortunately, their pride will not allow them to stand down even if their policy towards Gibraltar has been a disaster and even if the free flow of traffic would mean economic progress for the area next to Gibraltar and beyond.
Spain is getting exactly what they deserve, its’ about time that someone has had the courage to stand up in the UN and tell the world what sort of country Spain is really like. Good for you Fabian, keep up the good work.
This week I watched the GC special forces slowly stopping and searching every car entering Gibraltar. Why? are they looking for concrete? Instead of being a modern European nation the Government of Spain is acting like a spoilt child. Picardo is telling it like it is. Sad but true.
Spain deserves better than this rat bag PP government who seem to be at loggerheads with nearly all the regions, never mind their supposed allies.
Shades of the Berlin Gate from East to West comes to mind with these fascist in power in Madrid, all comments welcome
Robert, Spain needs to come into the 21st century and look forward, instead of living in the wilderness of the 19th, it is a lovely country and apart from some Politicians and radicals. A warm people just looking for a good life.
To be honest, nothing has really changed since 1986….
Being caught out like a rabbit in the limelight of the international community was not in Spain’s PP Government political agenda in its policy of harassment of Gibraltar and the Gibraltarians. It was more for consumption within its own country as a means of boosting its own ego as well as serving as a unifying cry to rally a beleaguered country together. We have seen it all before in Argentina with the Falkland Islands and in the 1960’s with Gibraltar itself in the times of the Spanish dictator Franco. It would have much rather been left to its pernicious attempts to denigrate and continue digging at the roots to undermine and tumble Gibraltar’s economy within closed doors and whispering into “friendly” ears in private.
What it did not count on was on a people, and yet another generation, with a leader at its helm, who is not now, or have ever, been, prepared to take it lying down. If it wasn’t Fabian Picardo, it would be another Gibraltarian taking his place and with the same resolve not to allow Gibraltar and its people to be trampled on. All they ever manage to do is strengthen this resolve and unite us even more. We are proud of our Chief Minister and behind him all the way.
Gibraltar is not and will never be Spanish. It is our homeland, and no matter how much “pressure” they may want to exert on us at the border, or anywhere else, there will never be a Gibraltarian Government willing to sell its birth right and that of its people for unfettered access to a few second homes in Soto Grande or anywhere else for that matter. If they believe that by harassing us at the border it will help to topple this Chief Minister, they are very much mistaken.
Spain’s right seem not to have learnt the lesson we taught them in the past. We will not buckle.
It is they who started it with Margallo’s “Gibraltar Espanol.” It has nothing to do with the fishing or the reefs in what are clearly British Territorial Waters. Let him put his money where his mouth is, the International Courts are waiting, Gibraltar and its people are ready.
Gibraltarians don’t want to be spanish because they live very well in this “tax haven” with the british protection. That is.
The rest of the arguments are just lies to protect the current state.
Gibraltarians don’t want to be Spanish because they have never been Spanish. Bust!
Lies from whom Mad Max?
Who wants to be spanish anyway. Not even those that are want to be!!!! Only a matter of time before Catalunya says bye bye and then the rest….. Bye spain the sooner the better.
My Wife wanted to go to a wedding next summer in Gib, I have been to Gib 20 years ago. It is a fair way to drive down there from where I will be staying and I was either going to sleep outside of Gib or inside after research but to tell you the truth, after a long drive do I really want all that trouble of waiting around in the sun, no, I told her it is too much trouble so a hotel booking, tolls etc will not be spent down that way. Once again the politicians are messing it up for everyone. They should act like adults.
Spanish ….
If you do not like the Spaniards, I ask you to be consistent with itself and not going to Spain.
Spanish…
Excuse me: i wrote “itself” its a mistaske. I wanted to write: “Yourself”.
Anselmo – If I go to spain I am not going to spain but EUROPE. Spain receives enough EU contributions from the BRITISH taxpayer as main contributors to help sustain spain so it’s EUROPE NOT SPAIN!!!! And as a free European I go wherever I like without impediment and no fascist trumped up dictator is going to tell where I can or cannot go. If the spaniards want to close the frontier they can do so but they will have to leave Europe and not receive any more monies to exist!!! Spaniards are a “taking” and rogue nation. You need to come into the 21st century.
I have to say I agree with Llanito. Spain IS a beautiful Country, that just needs to bring itself up to date with the rest of the world. Because of the sheer size of the Country this is difficult I kn low, and as Llanito says, because of some obtuse and corrupt politicians (and, sadly, me members of the Royal Family of Spain) it is being held back. Their biggest recent mistake was to vote in the (effective) fascist Government of the PP and particularly that soldier of franco – Rajoy. If at the next election Spain has come to its senses over it own future, then perhaps we will see a resurgence of the common sense that was beginning to prevail under the previous government, especially in respect of relations with its neighbours, and regions.
Paul – when it comes to Gibraltar these people have a mental impediment. All spanish politicians are the same!!! They believe their own lies. Too much brainwashing and twisting reality. Yes lovely country, lovely people, shame about the conquistadores who will get re-elected. But even if the other side won at the next election who is to say any future government might not be worse than this one??? Who would have thought anyone could sink lower than franco??? Well it’s happened!!!! They may fool the British government but we know they can NEVER be trusted. They will never change unless you believe in miracles!!! Gibraltar is every spaniards’ obsession, it’s been drummed into them.