Laurence Dollimore
SPAIN has roped in almost 1,000 civil servants to cope with the extra workload in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez revealed in Congress today that some 875 public positions have been created to reinforce the areas most at risk from no deal.
The preparation efforts have mainly focused on customs, trade, border control and document workers who have been inundated with Brits looking to register as residents or to become fully fledged citizens.
The mass hiring was first authorised by the Council of Ministers on February 8 to anticipate a Brexit that was then scheduled for March 30 but has since been pushed back to October 31.
Spain believes some 400,000 MORE Brits could turn up to register as residents or citizens once the umbrella of free movement is taken away.
That’s more than the current official number of Brits living in Spain, which sits at 330,000, as estimates believe there are hundreds of thousands of Britons who have not registered or signed on to the local padron.
Sanchez referred to the crisis meeting of ministers he chaired last week in La Moncloa to review all the measures undertaken so far and to detect possible shortcomings.
“Spain is prepared for any scenario, including a hard Brexit,” said the leader, who wanted to convey ‘a message of tranquility’ to citizens and potentially affected parties.
He then compared the ‘crisis’ of Brexit to the Catalunya independence question.
“Not even British democracy is safe from polarisation and rupture,” he said, “Let us take note and act accordingly.
“Let’s be the best version of ourselves.”
