Walter Finch
IN a possible sign of things to come, the border between Spain and Gibraltar has seen long, snaking queues over the last 24 hours.
Workers and tourists alike have reported that Spanish and EU citizens are being funnelled into the same queue as non-EU nationals regardless of nationality or residency status.
The change has reportedly been driven by Gibraltar border control, who are checking every document or ID card by hand, leading to significant slowdowns during peak hours.
Previously, Spanish citizens had the ability to bypass queues and scan their IDs at automated machines to enter Gibraltar.
The change has caused widespread grumbles among residents in Spain who rely on crossing the border into Gibraltar for work and daily life.
Concerns have been raised that these longer wait times could have a negative impact on the local economy and disrupt the lives of thousands of people.
The Gibraltar Borders & Coastguard Agency has not been available for comment, and cross-border commuters fear this could become the new normal.
This latest disruption follows a previous incident last Monday when the border was closed for nearly two hours due to a security alert at Gibraltar Airport.
The discovery of a suspicious package forced authorities to temporarily halt all traffic, causing further inconvenience to travellers.
