UN-FRIENDLY RESTRICTIONS BY SPAIN
"Today's human rights violations
are the sources of tomorrow's conflicts." Mary Robinson 11
Nov 97
"A right is not what someone gives you. It is what no-one
can take away from you." Ramsey Clark, US Attorney General,
1974
"I make a fuss about Gibraltar when I don't want Spaniards
looking at me" Gen. F. Franco, date unknown
"Spain is not a democracy for Gibraltarian purposes"
John Borda, GAG, 2002
General
- Denial of fundamental European Union rights to Gibraltarians. New- Right to vote in EU elections upheld by EU court!
- Maintaining a government department
dedicated to sabotaging Gibraltar's economy and to designing sanctions
against us. Funded to the tune of about 0.5 billion GBP (125
billion pesetas/0.7 billion euro).
- Intermittent refusal to accept the Rock's territorial waters.
See map
- Refusal to accept Gibraltar's police, courts and legal system.
- Constant attempts to exclude Gibraltar from EU Directives.
- Constant attempts to deny Gibraltar membership of international
sporting bodies and blocking participation in international sporting,
cultural and political events.
- Blaming Gibraltar whenever large organised crime groups are arrested
on the Costa del Sol (Costa del Crime). These groups are attracted
to Spain because of its highly developed black economy and lax money-laundering
laws.
- Persistent attempts to undermine the Rock's Finance Centre. See
how successful they've been!
- Attempts to block any EU measures which could confirm the separate
existence of Gibraltar's administrative and jurisdictional systems.
- The long term effects of the Amsterdam Treaty.
- Restriction of availability
of telephone lines via the Cadiz international exchange and
refusal to recognise Gibraltar’s international 350 code, also
forbids Telefonica from signing "roaming" agreements with
Gibraltar mobile phone companies. This is subject to an
EU investigation and litigation.
- Refusal to admit Gibraltar to participation in Anglo-Spanish negotiations
about its future status. (lifted 2004 for tripartite talks)
- Attempts to sow animosity between Gibraltarians and the people
of the neighboring Campo area.
- Occasionally throwing British citizens in jail for 48 hours without
charge or explanation. This is usually limited to men travelling
alone.
- Banning the import of wine bottled in Gibraltar. (Restriction
coincided with opening of a wine bottling plant in Gibraltar) See
the funny side!
Aviation
- Refusal to allow air
links with Spain.
- Refusal to allow Gibraltar to participate in EC 'Open Skies'
Directive or other EU aviation measures.
- Refusal, despite NATO membership, to allow British military aircraft
to use Spanish airspace See map
- Refusal to allow international passenger flights to Gibraltar
airport other than from the United Kingdom and Morocco.
- If a flight to Gibraltar is diverted to Malaga, freight, including
mail and coffins containing the deceased, cannot be unloaded.
- Maintaining restricted air corridors to land at Gibraltar airport.
See map
Other travel
- Refusal to accept ID
cards, driving licences and passports issued in Gibraltar, unless
marked "United Kingdom".
- Refusal to re-establish maritime
links with Spain.
- Awkward attitude towards use of collective passports for school
children parties entering Spain.
- Attempts to exclude Gibraltar from 'Monti Package' of EU directives
on free movement of people.
- Ambivalent attitude to passport
and customs checks.
- Intolerable delays at the
frontier not only affecting the every day lives of those who
live and work in and around Gibraltar but also restricting in bound
tourism. This is subject to an EU investigation.
- "Confiscation" (i.e. theft) of people's property without
receipt by Customs officials. This is usually drink and tobacco,
but sugar has also been confiscated. Apparently officially
tolerated.
- Refusal to permit cars hired in Gibraltar to enter Spain
- Harrassment of cruise liner companies which stop at Gibraltar.
(Stopped 2005 when threatened with prosecution via EU)
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