Iona Napier
THE mayor of a Costa del Sol town and its foreign residents councillor have come out in ‘support and gratitude’ for their expats.
In the wake of 51.9% of British voters choosing to Leave the EU, the destiny of expats in Europe has been thrown into question.
While membership to the EU guarantees free healthcare, free movement, reasonable tax rates and more, now expats are unsure where these rights and benefits will be maintained.
Many could not vote in the crucial Referendum with anyone a non-UK resident for more than 15 years disenfranchised.
In Manilva, mayor Diego Jose Jimenez and foreign residents councillor Dean Tyler Shelton have released a message of ‘gratitude and healing’ to its expats.
“We want to send a crystal clear message to every single British resident or second home owner living in Manilva,” a letter explained.
“You have made our town your home and you are more than welcome to be here sharing the best of what we have. We are only a small town on the western edge of the greater Costa del Sol Region of Southern Spain but we would like to take this opportunity to express to you our enormous gratitude for the cultural, economical and social contribution you make to our home. Our sentiment and resolution will not change because of the negative result of the Brexit referendum.”
It added that there are well over 3,000 British expats registered as living in Manilva on a permanent basis and ‘many thousands more invested in one way or another’.
“You all bring huge benefits to our town, investing in businesses, buying homes, paying taxes and social security, working and contributing to our everyday lives and enriching our cultural diversity,” it read.
On a conciliatory note, the letter added that ‘it falls to us as people to pick up the pieces and make sure any changes that may come in time are as painless as possible for you, while hoping there will be few, if any at all’.
It continued: “Furthermore it is all of our responsibility to help heal the many divisions that have arisen amongst families, friends and neighbours throughout the whole period of this campaign.”
“It’s now time to focus on what unites us, rather than that which divides us.”
Nice chap.
you ex pats with the opinion we brits have made a mistake voting out ,,should come back and spend 6 months here,,,then perhaps you might have an insight to what is happening to our country,,whilst you sun yourself on the beaches of spain , you are not thinking about whats best for england are you ?you are just concerned how it will affect your extendey holiday
Mr. Collar illustrates clearly the jealousy felt by so many Little Englanders toward those who have had the gumption to attempt a better life away from the rainy, insular world inhabited by these miserable sods.
Another gormless Daily Mail reader who believed the lies, such as the Brexit Battle Bus nonsense. You’ll be a lot hotter under the collar living in the UK now. Over the next two years immigration will skyrocket, the country will enter into a big recession, house prices will collapse, unemployment will rise, and uncertainty will be your partner for years to come. On top of that the new “jungle” is going to be based in Dover. What a mistake fools like you made.
So glad your crystal ball is working so well Fred. And I thought that seeing into the future was only a myth!!
Thanks Rog, just common sense really.
Thankyou Mayor of Manilva for your heartfelt words it means a lot to those of us here in Spain expats from Scotland who were against our wishes taken out of E U.England firgets they do not own us there are the Orkney and Shetland Isles plus Eilean Star and Northern Ireland being plzces in the same biat.For Scotlands rdferendum we had yo have 75% not a mere 4% over like D Cameron allowed.Those of you who couldnt see the bigger picture will suffer with us in job losses home losses and big reductions in wages etcwork will be movedto E U countries.Why oh Why England Wales didnt you look round the cirner before voting.
We wont be leaving our spanish village we moved here for financial and health reasons.Thanks for yoir support Mayor of Manilva much appreciated.
I’ve laughed at the jokes, I’ve wondered “what next?”, I’ve sympathised with friends on both sides of the fence and I’ve pondered why everyone believes in democracy but too often doesn’t like the results it delivers. But now I’m worried. Not by economics or services or even politics. Those at the helm will sort that out in their own best interests. They always do. No, I’m worried at the open hatred, festering so close beneath the surface, that now seems to be manifesting in places I didn’t expect. No community is immune.
So I was touched by the words of this man.
I want to live in his world.
But unfortunately, you now live in a world where people feel they have a licence to wear a T-shirt with a slogan reading: “Yes we won, now send them back”
Racism is in the process of being legalised and normalised. There’s a whole generation who have never tasted Fascism in Europe, looks like it will seduce another bunch of useful fools, all over again.
seems like this is the place to relocate to :)