Gibraltar fury over second-class status

Date: 08/05/1997

By Mark Turner

THOUSANDS of angry Gibraltarians will march through the city centre next week to protest against Spain's refusal to recognise their passport, and call for EU action.

The independent pressure groups 'Voice of Gibraltar' and 'Help Us to Help Them' say they are organising the demonstration “to protest against Spain's continuous blatant and outright denial of our rights as European citizens” and “to urge the European Union to take strong and decisive action against Spain”.

The march was originally due to take place at the Spanish border, but has been moved to avoid provocation, said a spokesman for the Gibraltar government.

Spain has come under increasing criticism for often failing to accept Gibraltar-issued passports, and for its continued obstruction of the EU-Gibraltar border by overzealous checking procedures.

There are no maritime or air links between Spain and the British colony, and Madrid even refuses to acknowledge Gibraltar's international direct dial code.

The Gibraltar issue also regularly finds its way into EU business, and has proved an enduring source of friction between Spain and the UK. Madrid vetoed Gibraltar's participation in the 'open skies' aviation regime and is seeking to exclude the territory from the so-called 'Monti directives' on the free movement of people.

Gibraltar is the only Union frontier zone not to qualify for 'Interreg' regional aid and the sole EU territory where citizens may not vote for a European parliamentary delegate.

Finally, agreement on the EU's external borders convention is on permanent hold until Spain recognises Gibraltar as being within Union boundaries.

Gibraltar's Chief Minister Peter Caruana visited Brussels earlier this year to raise awareness of the Rock's plight, condemning Madrid for “eroding and curtailing the legitimate exercise of our EU rights”.

The Rock's isolation is proving disastrous to an economy already suffering from the end of the Cold War. Since the UK's military presence was scaled down, Gibraltar's 30,000 inhabitants have sought both to make it a financial centre and to increase trade and tourism with their neighbours. But they are finding the going tough.

Social Democrat Caruana, elected on promises to improve matters, stresses that Gibraltar has been independent since 1713 - longer than the US and most European states in their current form - and rejects Madrid's demands to take it back.

Gibraltarians are also appealing to the UK's new Labour leadership. March organisers say it should “send a clear message to the incoming British government that we expect them to defend our rights and interests in the strongest possible manner”.

The Rock now wants a special office to represent its interests in Brussels. “This should not be interpreted as a separation from the UK,” said Caruana, stressing that Gibraltar would continue to be repres-ented by UKRep - the British government's permanent representation to the Union.