How Spain could easily renege on any accord with Gibraltar

The last time I looked though, Spain, who had very much taken the upper hand with Brussels, had made it known that any arrangements we wanted with the EU would have to go through them. Naturally we are not privy to what advancements have been made so far in this respect.

I read that Sr. Sanchez is now not only recriminating the UK for having gone down the Brexit route; something which does not surprise us in the slightest, considering what’s to come their way; but also letting it be known that the British spend twenty fours hours a day talking about Brexit, whilst the Europeans think about it every four minutes every trimester! This is what he told the Independent; in other words, as Europeans too, they don’t give much thought to the extra millions they have to pay to in to the EU budget; nor about their fishing industry; their tourism; the rights of the Spaniards who live in the UK and the Brits who live in Spain; nor about the flights that will be halted between Spain and the UK. How wonderfully Blasé!

<b>RAVING PONS</b>

Despite the Spanish media’s convoluted reports, it’s the EU and the UK, who are seeking to find solutions that will work on all sides of the border; allowing for new opportunities of growth. Never mind all the ranting and raving from those such as Pons, or the leader of the PP opposition, who reiterate that Spain will never have a better chance to sort out the situation of the “last colony” that remains in Europe; (I wonder who he is referring to?).

Two men looking at a shop window with rich pickings, desperately awaiting the chance when no one is looking, to throw the brick through the glass, grab the contents and run. If truth be told, the political scenario in Spain is showing signs of further retrograde into their francoist past. Whilst Aznar had lost popularity in the upper PP echelons and had been abandoned to his fate; he now rises like a phoenix and verbalizes; something he has no trouble in doing; and furthermore sits side by side with the young PP leader who looks at him with total admiration and in awe of his words. This is Spain for you. Now they point the finger at Rajoy instead; but give it time and no doubt this might also change.

For us the outlook for the future may be bleak; because although the PSOE may have done well in the recent polls, we all know how fickle loyalties are in Spain; plus they are how aligned with certain political parties who are not of everyone’s taste. Should they lose out in the next elections those stepping into their shoes would, without a shadow of a doubt, renege on accords reached between us; any agreements made should perhaps be countersigned by the EU; to secure our position.

Throughout our history, we have seen how Spain, time after time, has indulged in land reclamation, whilst similar action taken by us; with greater diligence and correctness I must add; has been vilified by them. The lengthening of the erodrome in 1938, at the height of the Spanish Civil War, was declared by Spain as an unlawful appropriation of more than 500m over the waters of the so called Bahia de Algeciras; which actually happens to be Bay of Gibraltar, and therefore was not an unlawful action. Hell was let loose when our Government decided to drop some concrete blocks in our waters to create artificial reefs; the same action, but multiplied by hundreds, which they had already created, paid for with EU money.

The worst case was back in 2012, when, taking advantage of what they thought to be a demand in the market for the transport of liquefied natural gas; without caring for the consequences of their actions, they dropped various millions of cubic meters of earth, concrete and rocks into the sea, occupying an area of 300,000 square meters; not, I may add, for the protection of marine life; but for an industrial and port complex of Crinavis; which was declared a first rate ecological offence and disaster causing serious environmental damage involving marine and air contamination.

<b>DEPREDATION</b>

Their project strangled river outlets; buried the biggest natural vegetation for fauna and flora; killed off their own fishing grounds and feeding areas for dolphins etc. made of their sea grass bed, a thing of utter desolation. It was an act of depredation carried out for financial interests; a story which the main Spanish newspapers didn’t cover, and even those Spanish ecologists who are constantly on our back for no good reason, kept schtum about!

The Panorama that year published an illustrated map, under the headline “It is Spain, Not Gibraltar that keeps reclaiming land in the bay”; where one can clearly see all the parties guilty of land reclamation which include the Crinavis port; the refinery and Industrial estate; the leisure port of La Alcaidesa; a mountain of debris close to the Ocean Village site; and on the other side, the port of Algeciras and “Isla Verde.”

They have no shame because they put up with this from their own, particularly the fishing fraternity, but then complain vociferously about the “so called” fishing grounds they have lost, through our wanting to care for our marine environment. This is the country we have to hold talks with about our environment! Ironic isn’t it?

02-11-18 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR