James BryceThe tit-for-tat squabbling over queues at the border between Gibraltar and Spain is nothing new, especially for those who cross the frontier on a regular basis.
But it seems the latest long delays – attributed by the Guardia Civil to ‘anti-smuggling’ checks – have proved to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Urgent discussion of the issue in the House of Commons and the government’s decision to complain directly to Madrid are the clearest indication yet that Britain is running out of patience over the issue.
Surely now is the ideal time to draw a line under the thorny issue of Gibraltar’s sovereignty and for the Spanish government to drop the petulant school bully act and focus on the issues that matter most to those who elected them.
See article Diplomatic spat over border delays in Gibraltar
Spain will be better if they close relations with England.Doesn,t need them and it isn,t good for us we should brake and hear about them from distance.will go better for us.
Brujiño…. in short… ” Stupid comment..” !!!
Yes, Brujiño really is that stupid.
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Are you sure of it didn,t see the point or the benefit on our relation the only thing we get from the alliance since 1982 with you is the war on Irak with the stupid Blair and Bush and complains about Gibraltar so tell me where are the benefit ah yes the “english” like we can,t learned in other place and yes british people buying houses on the coast.So you tell me the benefits.
Quite frankly, I don’t know why you guys bother commenting on this Brujino character’s remarks. Can’t understand half of what he writes anyway.
Keep posting brujiño. We need to understand the spanish mentality and why it’s keeping you in the stone age.
More olive press giberish. If Gibraltar wern’t harbouring drug trafickers then the guardia civil wouldn’t need extra checks
@Tom.
Ahhh right! All this knowledgeable information coming from ?? For all you know might be Gibraltar who needs the extra checks coming in, rather than going out wouldn’t you think, since the biggest hauls of drugs comes through spanish ports? What drug trafficker in their right mind would want to risk coming with drugs into Gibraltar only to have to go through a land frontier again? Check your facts and the Guardia Civil reports and you will see where it all lands, and its not Gibraltar.
El Fifi you bother yourself.
Freddy tipically british no more to say
@inthename
The issue is not the drugs coming through Gib, as you say they would be stupid to bring them in that way.
What you do have is highpowered boats based out of Gib who are transporting shipments from Africa to the Spanish coast and returning empty to Gibraltar, therefore breaking no laws in Gibraltar, but clearly taking the piss out of the whole situation. The Gibraltar government need to co-operate as much as the Spanish do on situations like this to benefit all people on both sides of the frontier.
Another example of Gibs lack of co-operation was the fire in the port last year. The local fire service simply did not have the equipment to deal with it. Spain offered help as they have the equipment at the oil refineries. Gibraltar refused assistance and the fire burned for a full day, before they gave in and asked for help. the fire was out in an hour..
This tit for tat crap goes on from both sides and needs to stop. The people are the only ones who suffer, so that politicians and get some attention.
soverignty is a whole other issue which needs to be discussed at a higher level
It’s the old imperialism on both sides. You can’t possess the earth.
The idea that Gibraltar harbours drug traffickers is a fallacy that is constantly promoted in order to taint the place.
Facts
1. Power boats engines above 125hp are illegal in Gibraltar.
2. All owners of power boats need to have a powerboat pilot’s license’
3. Berths are at a premium and are strictly controlled and policed.
4.In the past 10 years, no Gibraltar registered launch has been seized according to Guardia Civil records.
Gibraltar has worked hard to rid itself of its reputation that is why it is flourishing as a financial.gaming,bunkering and tourist centre. Yet the negative propaganda persists and isbelieved by many in mainland Spain.
Imperialism is associated with the taking of land by force with no reference to the people who live in a territory.
Gibraltarians have lived their British way of life longer than the U.S.A has been a nation.
I wonder how many in this world would tell the U.S.A to hand back its territory to the native Indians?
Before the question comes up let me comment about tobacco smuggling.
1.Gib price-around 25 euroes per carton
2.Petrol price-1.12 euroes per litre
As in any frontier town where there is a disparity in prices you are going to get those who will try to cash in.
I am not trying to paint Gib as the perfect society. There are those whowill try to make a quick buck. But these are mainly shops who try to sell amounts above the legal limits of their licences.
Considering the prices, you can well understand the attraction of smuggling tobacco by the many thousands of unemployed or unpaid Spanish workers in the surrounding area.
Hope my epistles have not been too long and some of you have found them informative.
… and who is it mainly inconveniencing when trying to leave Gibraltar at night. Oh, it’s the spaniards who work there because there’s no work in Spain. Hello !!!
Brujino, I can understand you wanting this territory back but what for? Just for the sake of having it back? It probably is the only place in that part of the world that works properly. The other thing is, I think you are going about it in a typically Spanish way. Having lived in Spain and dealt with the local Mayor it is all about flexing muscles with the Spanish rather than flexing the brain. You would be better to put up a reasoned argument rather than ‘telling us all to go home’, you might make headway then and we would also listen, we may even agree if you do a good enough job. All this macho knocking houses down business and not caring what people think is what has brought Spain to its knees. Carry on doing what you have always done, and get what you have always got.
Unfortunately, the Don Quijote syndrome is alive and kicking amongst Spanish politicians. They have a tendency of flexing muscles that have no real strength.
Spain will never reliquish its claim over Gibraltar. Gibraltarians will never succumb to this claim.This, I think is understood by both sides.
The P.S.O.E government took a pragmatic view regarding this. Let the local people co-operate and allow them to develop financially and socially.At least, at a human level, both communities could mutually help each other without the interference of the central government.
We are all human beings. We are born, we live then we die.Being Spanish or Gibratarian will not change that fact so we might as well get along with each other respecting our differences of opinion. If only the idiots in Madrid would allow this to happen.
I don´t know why Gibraltarians are so upset about this. You were all crowing when the Chief minister started this row by preventing the Spanish boats from fishing. Did you think that Spain would forgo its most powerful bargaining chip? You wanted trouble and now you´ve got it.
The idea that long border queues is a powerful bargaining chip is misguided for the following reasons
1. On and off they have been used since the late 1960’s and have never achieved anything.
2.Gibraltarians are not bothered except for the traffic jams they cause.They simply carry onwith ther lives in Gib.
3.Those affected are mostly Spaniards who work in Gibraltar creating animosity towards their own central government.
Regardingthe fishing dispute
1. The proposed nature protection act is trying to slow down the dwindling fishing stock in the bay.
2. It’s against industrial fishing by boats of any country.
3.The act is very similar to others found around the world including certain coastal areas of Spain.
4. Spanish fishermen haven’t exactly got a brilliant reputation around the world for respecting local fishing laws. Ask the Canadians, Irish or Moroccans amongst others.
5. Considering the relatively few fishing vessels involved, hasn’t the reaction been slightly over the top? Shouldn’t Spanish politicians direct this energy towards tackling the severe problems facing them?