Karl Smallman
GIBRALTAR and La Linea have come together to mark the 30th anniversary of the reopening of the frontier.
The blockade, in place for 13 years during the Franco era, was lifted for pedestrians on December 15, 1982.
During the closure, designed to sink Gibraltar’s economy, Spanish workers left the Rock and telephone communication was cut.
“The government salutes the resolve and spiritual strength of past generations of Gibraltarians, who suffered the blockade and united as a people to resist the concerted efforts of the Spanish government to take the sovereignty of Gibraltar,” read a government statement.
“Many of these are alive today and can take comfort from their contribution to our political, cultural and social evolvement.”
Debt
La Linea mayor Gemma Araujo marked the occasion by urging the Spanish government to consider the impact of the current sovereignty row on the residents of the town.
“The opening of the border ended a Franco-era measure that, irrespective of the national or international political goal, represented a hammer blow to our city unlike that suffered by any other city,” said Araujo.
“I urge everyone to continue on the road of good neighbourly relations, and the Spanish government to realise it has a debt with this city.”
Don’t tell Bruji lol.
i have the impression Gemma is saying its good to do business, but opening the border was a “hammerblow”?? is this a translation? or misuse of hammerblow? Can anyone clarify…
And yes, the Spanish government should apologise to the world for Franco, and thank England and Germany for all the support since…
Not quite sure about the date confusion and “Franco Era”. He died in 1975, and the border opened again in 1982 after 13 years of closure?
That means about half of the time it remained closed under “democratic rule” !