The association of Spanish workers in Gibraltar, Ascteg, are up in arms as more frontier delays emerged this week. They say they are going to distribute leaflets, collect signatures and otherwise mobilise those who cross the frontier.
They claim that the Spanish government is playing to the gallery when they speak of goodwill - let us not be fooled, they add.
They go on to blame their own government for interfering with the free movement of Spanish and EU workers, as well as those with relatives and business interests on either side of the frontier.
They fear the spectre of Francoist tactics at the frontier re-appearing, something they do not want to recall for the bad times many suffered.
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| June 1969 |
The change in government in Spain is being blamed for the worsening situation, pointing at political manipulation for reasons of sovereignty etc.
They say they are not going to allow the employment of the thousands who work in Gibraltar to be endangered.
The present Spanish government, the foreign minister Margallo, and those responsible for their government in Andalucia, Cadiz and Algeciras are accused of violating freedom of movement across the frontier.
Ascteg adds in a leaflet that if the Spanish frontier authorities want to heighten the strict controls, they should have the necessary human resources and infratructure so that people do not have to wait longer than they should at the frontier.
26-10-2012
"The Government condemns the lengthy and deliberate delays to cross the frontier into Spain which have been experienced by Gibraltarians and visitors to Gibraltar.
The frontier with Spain has not operated normally since the day it opened and the Spanish Government has often used it a a means of applying political pressure on Gibraltar. It will be recalled that the situation deteriorated to such a degree few years ago that a dedicated frontier complaints office was opened.
The traffic flow has been particularly bad today, Sunday, with cars at times taking more than five hours to cross into Spain. The Government understands that the usual average number of cars crossing into Spain is between 150-300 every half an hour. The average number of cars crossing into Spain today Sunday was between 30 - 60 an hour.
This shows that the delays are unrelated to volume of traffic.
The Government, in a humanitarian gesture towards those stuck in the queue, has distributed over 1700 bottles of water and, in addition to this, two small water tankers have been supplying water at the Eastern Beach roundabout and then at the frontier. This was coordinated by the Minister for Traffic Paul Balban and the Minister for Utlities Steven Linares. The Government is very grateful to the volunteers who distributed the water.
The Government considers that the delays are an affront to the principle of freedom of movement of EU nationals through an EU frontier. The checks being conducted by the Spanish authorities are excessive and disproportionate with no regard for the need to operate a red and green channel.
The Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, who is in London, has already been in touch with the UK Government and urged them to take up the matter with Spain at the highest level. He will take the opportunity afforded by Gibraltar Day to make the point to a distinguished audience.
The Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia, who is Acting Chief Minister in Mr Picardo's absence, has himself contacted Parliamentarians in the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the European Parliament. This will continue and will be extended.
The Cabinet will be meeting tomorrow morning in order to discuss and determine a sustained local and international response to the latest hostile actions taken by the Spanish Government against Gibraltar".
The Acting Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia said:
"The attempt to use the frontier as a political weapon against Gibraltar has not worked in the past and it will not work now. The action taken by Spain is unfriendly, un-neighbourly and un-European and the Gibraltar Government will expose this in whatever fora is available to us."
Date: 14 October 2012
