Sunday 27 October 2013

The time has come to recognise that UK Government and FCO have failed Gibraltar and the Gibraltarians!

The time has come to recognise that UK Government and FCO have failed Gibraltar and the Gibraltarians!


It is time that our Gibraltar Government and the Opposition recognised that DIPLOMACY has not worked! It is time for the UK Government and the Foreign Office to also accept the real truth! DIPLOMACY has failed and the whole world can see it as it is!

So now it is time for the power of the people to stand up for what they believe and bring a stop to all this failed diplomacy! How? IT is the people who rule and vote Governments in and out all over the world so the call is now for all Governments in UK and in GIbraltar to get their act into gear and deal with the problem head on!

There is no need for war but there is a need to stand up to the bully before they become what SYRIA has become to others!

IT is the lack of action - it is the lack of protection and the lack of enforcing the laws that has created the situation we are in now at this moment in time.

How come UK Government acted when Argentina attacked the Falklands? Was it for the people? Really? From what history shows us they left it far too late and could have avoided the take over they did to the Falklands. Are we in Gibraltar going to continue to sit idly by while SPAIN using their Para Military - Guardia Civil to continue to oppress, bully, harass us as a people and a country?

It is time for action and not just words - as they go with the wind!

So message to UK Government, EU, UN and FCO do something before we have an international incident to which if it happens -  you all who will be accountable! It is due to your lack of action and enforcement that is causing the escalation to happen!

There is only so much that we the people will put up with! We are having items boycotted, our laws ridiculed, our freedom of passage halted and kept as prisoners in queues that everyone knows are caused on purpose!

British laws are being broken daily and no consequence - but when it is done in waters around Dover we know the incursions are not put up with!

UK Government and FCO are failing the people of Gibraltar - a people who have been loyal to UK for more than 300 years! 

Does it really on come down to oil and petrol and hence why there is this lack of action? Really?


TIME TO END THE DIPLOMACY OF USELESS WORDS WHICH GO WITH THE WIND!

THE TIME HAS COME FOR THE BRITISH LION TO ROAR AS NEVER BEFORE!

Stand up for the people of Gibraltar - say no more bullying by SPAIN! Say no more ridiculing the Navy and law enforcers!

Time to stand up and state  ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

What is UK and FCO waiting for? Are you really waiting for a death at sea, in a car or a person having a heart attack in the pedestrians queue? Will it really have to be a death to push you to do your duty - your obligation?

Does it have to be one of us the people of Gibraltar to go out to sea and do what you are supposed to do?

Does it have to be the people that go and block the border until they do no more queues?

Really? How can you justify doing NOTHING? Reporting incursions day after day - is doing nothing!

Things are getting worse not better - are you all so blind to see it all? 
What do you call boycotting items? 
What do you call the incursions and queues that continue? 
What do you call the fact that now pedestrians are being targeted? DIPLOMACY HAS FAILED!

What is the answer to this?

Really can you say your diplomacy is working? How can you sleep at night knowing that the situation is getting worse? How can you really not expect people to rise up and do what you are meant to do?

The time has come do your job or we the people will do it and face the consequences of your lack of action!

Would you allow another country to enter the waters in UK and force jurisdiction in your waters?
Would you put up with this like we do daily?


WE are 30,000 British people and you are doing nothing!

We all know a bully becomes stronger if it sees weakness in the victim - you are the weakness!

How quick you send troops to other places for a war not yours - how weak you are to stand up yet to the bully that Spain is - to protect your OWN people!

This is not a game this is our lives! You did nothing when bullets were shot to the man on the jet ski!

You did nothing when they beat the local lad at the frontier - oh diplomacy but that equals nothing!

You have all the proof of how they cause queues for cars and people and yet do nothing!

You have proof of the daily incursions in our waters and do nothing!

You have proof of the countless times Spanish para military try to enforce jurisdiction in our waters - you do nothing!

You have proof of the media hate campaign against us and our people, laws etc and you do NOTHING!

We are not the problem - YOU are the problem - no action = nothing!

In 1969 you did nothing and they closed the frontier and stopped our medication, oxygen and food! You did nothing!

The behaviour from SPAIN is worse than then - what are you going to do MR Cameron, MR Hague?

Anne-Marie Struggles

Saturday 26 October 2013

Incursion in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters

Spanish state vessels carried out a very serious incursion into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters - an act of WAR!

 Spanish state vessels carried out a very serious incursion into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters - an act of WAR!

How can Spanish Para Military Guardia Civils enter British Gibraltar Territorial Waters?

How can UK Government - Our Governor - Our Foreign Office do NOTHING?

Message to all of you people - this is proof that DIPLOMACY is NOT working!

When will the United Nations Security Council wake up and take note?

The European Union is so busy pretending to care that the bullying by Spain just keeps escalating! 

No other country would put up with this blatant provocation so UK has to wake up!




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Spain still tries to attack but this time - Gibraltar's economy!


Once again Spain uses illegal means to try and suffocate our economy.

We all know that Spain has stopped any trucks coming into Gibraltar with Rocks, Cement or sand. So our Gibraltar Government has had no choice but to look elsewhere to import what is perfectly legal all over the world! So Gibraltar looked to the Portuguese people to help by supplying these materials by sea using their ships.

Once the Spanish Government heard this was going to happen and was actually on the way has mean that not only have they targeted pedestrians coming in and out of Gibraltar but have now started to defy our British Territorial Waters once again!

This time they have tried to stop the Portuguese Ship FEHN MIRAGE coming into our waters and tried to exercise jurisdiction in our waters on a trade that is completely legal. Below is the picture capturing this incident!




GIBRALTAR_FEHN MIRAGE_24OCT2013
CARRYING EAST SIDE AGGREGATE, ESCORTED INTO GIBRALTAR FOLLOWING GUARDIA CIVIL INTERFERENCE

©2013 DEREK BOOTH, all rights reserved
DEREK BOOTH (Hon)FMPA ABIPP ARPS DipPP




As if doing this was not enough they think they can come over with more para military in our waters to do an Oceanic Survey?
GBC News

SPANISH FISHERIES RESEARCH VESSEL CARRIES OUT SURVEY IN BGTW THIS MORNING

The Foreign Office has wasted no time in reporting an incursion by the Spanish Fisheries Research Vessel, the Emma Bardan, to London and Madrid. The Vessel appears to have been carrying out a survey in Gibraltar Waters this morning, shadowed by the Guardia Civil. All local Essential Services were present at sea.

The speed of the complaint to London and Madrid could give some indication of the importance they’re giving the incident. It started at around eleven o’clock this morning, with the Emma Bardan, off the detached Mole and then moving towards Rosia Bay. It was seen carrying out a survey and putting equipment into the sea. The vessel, however, left nothing behind as opposed to a similar incident in 2010 when buoys sank in British Territorial Waters, were only removed by Spain following a month of negotiations with the Foreign Office.

Although Spain believes she has a right to exercise environmental control in our waters, Britain has in the past, said it’s made its position clear to the Spanish Government. In a written Ministerial statement by the Foreign Secretary, following the European Court of Justice’s judgement to dismiss the UK’s appeal to reverse The European Commission’s decision to designate a Site of Community Importance, William Hague said the British Government took a grave view of any attempts by Spain to exert any authority or control within British Gibraltar Territorial Waters as part of implementation of a Special Area of Conservation management plan or for any other reason. He added that any attempt by a Spanish State vessel, or vessel acting on behalf of the Spanish State, to exercise jurisdiction within British Gibraltar Teritorial Waters is a violation of British Sovereignty and will respond accordingly. He added the British Government will continue to take whatever action it considers necessary to protect British Sovereignty and the interests of Gibraltar.

The Emma Bardan was also in Gibraltar two days ago and was also challenged by the Royal Navy then.

http://www.gbc.gi/news/2666/spanish-fisheries-research-vessel-carries-out-survey-in-british-gibraltar-territorial-waters

SPANISH FISHERIES RESEARCH VESSEL CARRIES OUT SURVEY IN BGTW THIS MORNING The Foreign Office has wasted no time in reporting an incursion by the Spanish Fisheries Research Vessel, the Emma Bardan, to London and Madrid. The Vessel appears to have been carrying out a survey in Gibraltar Waters this morning, shadowed by the Guardia Civil. All local Essential Services were present at sea. The speed of the complaint to London and Madrid could give some indication of the importance they’re giving the incident. It started at around eleven o’clock this morning, with the Emma Bardan, off the detached Mole and then moving towards Rosia Bay. It was seen carrying out a survey and putting equipment into the sea. The vessel, however, left nothing behind as opposed to a similar incident in 2010 when buoys sank in British Territorial Waters, were only removed by Spain following a month of negotiations with the Foreign Office. Although Spain believes she has a right to exercise environmental control in our waters, Britain has in the past, said it’s made its position clear to the Spanish Government. In a written Ministerial statement by the Foreign Secretary, following the European Court of Justice’s judgement to dismiss the UK’s appeal to reverse The European Commission’s decision to designate a Site of Community Importance, William Hague said the British Government took a grave view of any attempts by Spain to exert any authority or control within British Gibraltar Territorial Waters as part of implementation of a Special Area of Conservation management plan or for any other reason. He added that any attempt by a Spanish State vessel, or vessel acting on behalf of the Spanish State, to exercise jurisdiction within British Gibraltar Teritorial Waters is a violation of British Sovereignty and will respond accordingly. He added the British Government will continue to take whatever action it considers necessary to protect British Sovereignty and the interests of Gibraltar. The Emma Bardan was also in Gibraltar two days ago and was also challenged by the Royal Navy then. http://www.gbc.gi/news/2666/spanish-fisheries-research-vessel-carries-out-survey-in-british-gibraltar-territorial-waters.
 
Audio recording courtesy T. Finlayson:
Actual recording of today's incursion with the Emma Bardan. Includes exclusive audio from Marine Band Ch16.

http://youtu.be/vdcnLjLYBcU
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Courtesy GBC News - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYPC-Kckilg
Published on 25 Oct 2013
The Foreign Office has wasted no time in reporting an incursion by the Spanish Fisheries Research Vessel, the Emma Bardan, to London and Madrid. The Vessel appears to have been carrying out a survey in Gibraltar Waters this morning, shadowed by the Guardia Civil. All local Essential Services were present at sea.

The speed of the complaint to London and Madrid could give some indication of the importance they're giving the incident. It started at around eleven o'clock this morning, with the Emma Bardan, off the detached Mole and then moving towards Rosia Bay. It was seen carrying out a survey and putting equipment into the sea. The vessel, however, left nothing behind as opposed to a similar incident in 2010 when buoys sank in British Territorial Waters, were only removed by Spain following a month of negotiations with the Foreign Office.

Although Spain believes she has a right to exercise environmental control in our waters, Britain has in the past, said it's made its position clear to the Spanish Government. In a written Ministerial statement by the Foreign Secretary, following the European Court of Justice's judgement to dismiss the UK's appeal to reverse The European Commission's decision to designate a Site of Community Importance, William Hague said the British Government took a grave view of any attempts by Spain to exert any authority or control within British Gibraltar Territorial Waters as part of implementation of a Special Area of Conservation management plan or for any other reason. He added that any attempt by a Spanish State vessel, or vessel acting on behalf of the Spanish State, to exercise jurisdiction within British Gibraltar Territorial Waters is a violation of British Sovereignty and will respond accordingly. He added the British Government will continue to take whatever action it considers necessary to protect British Sovereignty and the interests of Gibraltar.

The Emma Bardan was also in Gibraltar two days ago and was also challenged by the Royal Navy then.
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Spain is so obsessed with Gibraltar and so busy with the bullying tactics they are neglecting their own real issues in SPAIN!
 
 Spanish Guardia Civil paras Union have today complained about the absence of resources available to combat drug trafficking and illegal immigrants in the province of Cadiz. They have no gunboats to patrol the waters during the dark or for long distances arguing that one of their gunboat was moved near Gibraltar and the other is out of service. Read the press release from their Union.http://www.elplural.com/2013/10/25/el-servicio-maritimo-de-la-guardia-civil-en-cadiz-se-queda-sin-barcos-para-patrullar/

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A Guardia Civil para Union criticises their own Government for giving more importance to the ''contraband tobacco in both sides of the Spanish frontier with Gibraltar'' (don't understand what they mean by both sides) whilst not deploying the necessary resources the Guardia Civil require in order to combat Chinese contraband tobacco coming from Morocco to Ceuta and which subsequently becomes a constant flow into Algeciras. Not to be missed please read.http://www.elfarodigital.es/ceuta/sociedad/133273-la-augc-reclama-medios-para-una-mayor-accion-contra-el-trafico-de-tabaco.html
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 470,000 packets of cigarettes apprehended in a container on board a lorry parked in an industrial site in Burgos, Spain. The container had been driven there from the Port of Valencia after a ship brought it there from Singapore.http://nosolomerida.es/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=24277%3Aaprehenden-medio-millon-de-cajetillas-de-tabaco-de-contrabando-en-burgos-&catid=134%3Asucesos&Itemid=170

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 A 3rd Guardia Civil para arrested in the 2nd part of the Manises Airport,Valencia money laundering and drug trafficking investigation case. The other 2 guardias arrested previously were paid 1,500 Euros for every holdall they let through filled with laundered money.http://www.lasprovincias.es/20131024/mas-actualidad/sucesos/detenido-guardia-civil-drogas-201310241029.html?utm_source=lasprovincias.es&utm_medium=rss&utm_content=ultima-rss&utm_campaign=traffic-rss
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 European Court of Justice have today also denounced Spain for not fulfilling it's obligations under the European Union for falling to transpose laws in connection with the quality of ''Drinking water'' Environmental breaches were detected by the EU. http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?docid=143545&mode=req&pageIndex=1&dir&occ=first&part=1&text=spain&doclang=EN&cid=588102#ctx1
 
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 What the Spanish press do not publish.Oral question made to the European Parliament by Italian MEP Erminia Mazzoni on the ''Preferentes'' banking scandal in Spain. I wonder why the Spanish MEP's from their different political parties present in the European Parliament haven't asked this question? I suppose it's because they are too busy asking questions about Gibraltar! See other post with another question this time about Spanish mortgage practises.

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-%2F%2FEP%2F%2FTEXT%2BOQ%2BO-2013-000121%2B0%2BDOC%2BXML%2BV0%2F%2FEN&language=EN
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What the Spanish press do not publish.Second oral question made to the European Parliament by Italian MEP Erminia Mazzoni on the ''Abusive '' mortgage practices in Spain. I wonder why the Spanish MEP's from their different political parties present in the European Parliament haven't asked this question? I suppose it's because they are too busy asking questions about Gibraltar! http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-%2F%2FEP%2F%2FTEXT%2BOQ%2BO-2013-000118%2B0%2BDOC%2BXML%2BV0%2F%2FEN&language=EN
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SPANISH FISHING BOATS CAUGHT WITH ILLEGAL UNDER SIZED FISH BY GUARDIA CIVIL AND FISHERIES PROTECTION
http://www.campodegibraltar.es/2013/10/25/la-guardia-civil-e-inspeccion-pesquera-intervienen-411-kilos-de-pescado-no-apto-para-el-comercio/
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Bankia Bank in the Campo have today closed all their branches (3 in Algeciras and 1 each in La Linea and Tarifa) with the corresponding loss of jobs.http://www.europasur.es/article/comarca/1631258/bankia/cierra/hoy/sus/cinco/sucursales/la/comarca.html
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375 kilos of hashish apprehended inAlgeciras which is Mr Landaluce's patch today.http://www.lavozdigital.es/cadiz/20131025/local/campo-gibraltar/hachis-201310251103.html
 We should ask Landaluce how many drug hauls have there been in the border going to spain. It is about time the special forces para-miliatries moved to Algeciras instead of carrying their intimidation tactics on innocent civilians crossing from Gibraltar or move them to Melilla which seems to be a hot spot, what a bunch of cowards! Is Mr Nadaluce just turning a blind eye on what is happening beneath his very own nose?
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What the Spanish press do not report on. Court in the tiny island country of Nauru in Micronesia in the South Pacific fines, the spanish fishing vessel and crew of the Albacora Uno, 1 million US dollars for illegally fishing in their waters.
 Read the excuse from the Captain of the vessel.http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=79855 Read what the company that runs this vessel allegedly gets up to. http://www.greenpeace.org.au/blog/real-pirates-plunder-and-steal/
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 So as you can all see how can a larger country like SPAIN be allowed to continue the harrassment to a small country like Gibraltar? How can people turn a blind eye on what is happening in Europe and by a so called neighbour in Europe. 
Why cannot Spain just face reality that Gibraltar does not belong to anyone except the Gibraltarians who wish to remain British. 
Below is an example of how Spain should be with Gibraltar and not how it is.
This site http://www.heimatvereinsuderwick.de/ in German is about the village of Suderwick (the German side).

I love the way the ‘about us’ page begins it roughly translates as ‘Suderwick is a twin village. The two villages of Suderwick and Dinxperlo can be seen as one, we have grown together’.


Two Wikipedia pages unfortunately they are in Dutch but they have the picture of the bridge between the two apartment buildings connecting two countries.

http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suderwick
I wish SPAIN would behave as a truly democratic country it wants everyone to  believe after all we have been neighbours for over 300 years!
Anne-Marie Struggles

Spanish Government tackle pedestrians now at the border! Where is the UN for human rights? Where is the EU commission now?

Spanish Government tackle pedestrians now at the border! Where is the UN for human rights? Where is the EU commission now?


As if Gibraltar is not suffering enough with constant incursions by Spanish military in British Territorial Waters, or the Spanish paramilitary following orders from their Government cause queues to enter and leave Gibraltar that range 2-8 hours at random - now they target normal pedestrians?

Where is the justification in this? How can anyone in any formal European or united Nations groups or commissions or committees now try to excuse the inexcusable?

The treatment that Spain is giving the thousands of human beings that pass through the border is nothing less than inhumane! We have all sort of got used to the water incursions and no one cares or listens until there is a death! The incursions are a BIG SECURITY RISK! But who in UK Government actually care? Where is the European Union and where is the United Nations for security?

We have given enough time for DIPLOMACY to work and as everyone all over the world can see it does not WORK!

We are seeing daily that queues for cars entering and leaving Gibraltar are happening and does anyone care? I mean will it only continue to be headlines when there is a death?  Does the UK Government care? The queues are still happening EVERY DAY and at random with no valid excuse! Where is the EU commission now?

We now have the new weapon (as if what Spain and their Spanish paramilitary Guardia Civil do not do enough harm!) the new technique oppress the pedestrians no matter the heat, rain, cold - they now make people wait between 15 - 1 hour standing in a queue and worst treated inhumanely and worse than cattle! Where are all these human right groups? Is it that SPAIN has more power with their dictatorship rules than we want to admit?

Are other countries fearing the power of fascism in SPAIN? Why is there a lack of standing up to the bully that SPAIN is! NO need for further proof people see it and experience it EVERYDAY SINGLE DAY!

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22-10-13 - Human beings treated worse than cattle trying to cross the border into SPAIN!

Is this DEMOCRACY in the making? Is this what the people in the world think is alright for Spain to do? I challenge all of you out there - is this humane?

This was a photo taken yesterday by a friend of mine at the border. This is what he had to say about the queue:

"One thing to note… there was a distinct lack of arrangement., where pregnant women, babies, pensioners were all forced into a huddle around people openly smoking because the Spanish have no queuing system and no process for managing human traffic at the border. Disgusting!"

Need I say more? Another one for the EU Commission I think....


Spain...the only country in the world which overnight turned from a fascist dictatorship into a democracy, but yet did not cater for or have a right wing extremist party in the democracy. Instead they created shell parties to ensure long term control. Who are they kidding. Do they think the world is stupid?




 Tweet by RGP
Royal Gib Police @RGPolice

#GibFrontier 6 lanes of queue. Tail end east bound on Devil's Tower Road, by Bassadones. M/cycle queue by Holding Area. Est. Time: 2 hrs.

Tail end of queue now being diverted into Eastern Beach Road.
 22 October 18:30 hour, 3 hour queue.Spanish authorities don't care whether there are old people, the sick, handicap, children etc, for them it's only collateral damage on their onslaught to affect Gibraltar's economy.





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FACT!!!- Regulation (EC) No 562/2006 of the European Parliament which states: Border checks * are carried out by border guards *. When performing their duties, border guards must fully respect human dignity and may not discriminate against persons on grounds of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.

EU countries must deploy appropriate staff and resources in sufficient numbers to ensure a high and uniform level of control * at their external borders. They must ensure that border guards are specialised and properly trained professionals. EU countries assist each other with the effective application of border controls. Operational cooperation is coordinated by the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the EU Countries (FRONTEX).




 Is this acceptable of a Country in the European Union and supposedly a democratic one?




 Who can justify this action?




 WHO CAN JUSTIFY THIS? WHICH COUNTRY IN THE WORLD DOES QUEUES ON PURPOSE AFFECTING CHILDREN, BABIES, THE ELDERLY, THE DISABLED AND PREGNANT WOMEN AND VULNERABLE PERSONS? ONLY SPAIN!


 All groups, organisations, associations, governments across all countries and the United Nations should all stand together untied against this kind of treatment and Spain should be made accountable for this injustice! Or will all of you out there sit idly by and accept this ongoing treatment until there are deaths?

Should we all not be in uproar about this?

We all have a voice, choice and a right to stand up to the OPPRESSOR will you?

Anne-Marie Struggles

Monday 7 October 2013

Discurso del CM Fabian Picardo en la Conferencia del Partido Conservador de RU 2013 - Gibraltar LIbre Blog

  From Gibraltar Libre blog - http://gibraltarlibre.blogspot.com.es/

Discurso del CM Fabian Picardo en la Conferencia del Partido Conservador de RU 2013


Queridos amigos,

¡Valiente veranito nos hemos llevado!

Nosotros en Gibraltar le podíamos haber afirmado a la ONU que el calentamiento terrestre es una realidad – porque ha sido un verano largo y caluroso en Gibraltar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApEEENy8S6g&feature=player_embedded


Un verano en el cual Gibraltar se ha encontrado en el ojo del huracán; y no me refiero al Gibraltar que figura en “Top Gear”, “Gibraltar, Britain in the Sun” o “New Tricks”. Ha sido un verano de diarias y largas colas fronterizas que indiscriminadamente afectaban a ancianos, a niños, a mujeres embarazadas y a trabajadores, diseñadas expresamente para lograr el rancio propósito de España de acosar a Gibraltar para que les cedamos nuestra soberanía; de incursiones diarias y constantes en aguas territoriales británicas de Gibraltar por barcos del Estado español que empezaron a hacerlo en serio en 2010, e incluso de un incidente en el cual Guardias Civiles le dispararon a un británico indefenso que se divertía con una moto acuática.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Eg1LAYwf2QM


Un verano de amenazas, de retórica y de mentiras consumadas desde los Ministerios de Interior y de Exteriores sobre Gibraltar, sobre nuestra industria turística, nuestra industria de bunkering, nuestra industria de apuestas online y nuestra industria de servicios financieros. Todos estos sectores han sido atacados y vilipendiados por un gobierno español que debiera darse cuenta de que tiene mucho que ganar de su relación con el RU en vez de poner esa relación a riesgo. Y todo este alboroto porque creamos un arrecife artificial en aguas británicas de Gibraltar diseñado para crear un hábitat marino nuevo y para impedirle a un pescador en particular que siguiera practicando pesca de arrastre, y también porque continuamos – y continuaremos – nuestro trabajo de protección costera en el lado este del Peñón.

Y todas estas mentiras sobre nuestras industrias difundidas en las prensa española han engañado al pueblo español que ahora piensan que Gibraltar es un tipo de parásito. De hecho, nos queda patentemente claro en Gibraltar que algunas de las declaraciones proclamadas por políticos españoles de peso en las recientes semanas tienden a inculcar desconfianza, rechazo, e incluso odio contra los gibraltareños, especialmente en los sectores del pueblo español de nivel educativo más bajo. Hasta tal punto que entenderéis mi tristeza al hablaros de un videoclip colgado en You-tube la semana pasada en la cual se podía ver una dramatización escolar donde tres gribraltareños, vestidos con camisetas que portaban los colores de la bandera británica, eran abatidos a tiros de metralletas por Guardias Civiles.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EllArqCoHko&feature=player_embedded

Espantoso, escandaloso, triste. Pero si una imagen dice más que mil palabras, ese videoclip encierra emociones y sentimientos que han sido avivados por aquellos en una Europa del siglo XXI que debieran saber lo que hacen.

¡Gracias a Dios por tales grandes amigos como William Hague, David Lidington y, desde luego, David Cameron! Su clara e inequívoca defensa de Gibraltar y su pueblo ha sido intachable y ha llevado a los comentaristas españoles más razonables y a los analistas políticos a revisar drásticamente las tácticas y los argumentos desplegados en contra de Gibraltar.Y esta noche, en nombre del gobierno de su Majestad en Gibraltar – y en particular en nombre del pueblo de Gibraltar – me encuentro aquí para honrar a estos defensores incondicionales del pueblo de Gibraltar, y para darles las gracias por las declaraciones inequívocas que han hecho en pro de Gibraltar y su pueblo. Su defensa tan firme quizás hasta ha llegado a sorprender algunos en Madrid que no tenían la medida exacta del fuerte vínculo entre Gibraltar y el gobierno de coalición de RU. Eso es exactamente lo que nos pueda permitir avanzar de cara a retos enormes que nos acechan ahora; porque Gibraltar y RU están en perfecta sintonía en cómo progresar.




Ambos estamos firmemente comprometidos al Foro Tripartito de Diálogo establecido por el anterior gobierno español. El Partido Popular reniega de ese Foro; a la vista de lo cual nosotros en Gibraltar hemos acordado y aceptado la propuesta de William Hague para encuentros ‘ad hoc’ cuando sean necesarios o deseables hasta que se vuelva a convocar el Tripartito. Gibraltar y RU tendrán su voz y voto por separados y sus delegaciones serán independientes en tales encuentros.


Hemos propuesto también que la Comisión europea debe estar presente en ocasiones cuando una de las partes tenga una queja por alguna cuestión; y cualquier decisión deber ser consensuada con ningún atisbo de imposición sobre Gibraltar sin nuestro consentimiento. PERO obviamente en estos encuentros no se abordará ninguna cuestión de la soberanía de Gibraltar y su futuro. Es más, está completamente claro sin lugar a dudas que RU no transferirá la soberanía de Gibraltar en contra de nuestras aspiraciones y, además, ni establecerá un proceso de tales negociaciones sin nuestro consentimiento.




Ese veto lo emplearemos permanentemente con el fin de impedir un regreso al Proceso de Bruselas o a ningún Foro bilateral que entrañe cualquier negociación o discusión sobre nuestra soberanía, ya pueda el Sr Rajoy recalcar las veces que quiera lo contrario en la Asamblea General de la ONU. Y esa es la prueba más contundente que demuestra el compromiso del Gobierno británico a nuestro derecho a la autodeterminación y al principio universal de consentimiento que debe ser nuestro principio maestro.

A pesar de todo yo espero que por lo tanto nos será posible comenzar el diálogo ‘ad hoc’ pronto para avanzar en temas de interés mutuo, teniendo como participantes aquellas autoridades que sean relevantes a los temas que estén sobre la mesa en un debido momento.

En este particular, dos señoritas le dieron ayer una lección al resto del mundo. Miss Gibraltar 2013, Maoura Karbouch, se clasificó en las últimas 6 por elección popular en el certamen de Miss Mundo. Ella fue la contrincante que gustó más a todo el mundo. No hubo momento en que nos hiciera sentir más orgullosos que cuando definió la generosidad como ‘las palabras que los sordos escuchan y las acciones que los ciegos ven’. Y cuando las tres agraciadas eran anunciadas, ella y Miss España se daban la mano ante todo el mundo a la espera de los acontecimientos. Ellas representaron, en una imagen que vale más que mil palabras, la realidad de la relación simbiótica entre el pueblo de Gibraltar y el pueblo español de La Línea y los otros pueblos que nos rodean. Amistad, respeto, comprensión y en particular, el hecho de que Gibraltar provee 10,000 puestos de trabajo a trabajadores transfronterizos.




Tengo la certeza que si pusiéramos el mismo empeño que se emplea en enfrentarnos en trabajar conjuntamente, esa cifra se podría fácilmente doblar o triplicar, si las cabeceras de la prensa dieran paso al diálogo auténtico para la co-operación y a las buenas relaciones de vecindad. Así que veo altamente positivo el hecho de que miembros del partido del gobierno del PP asistan a esta conferencia, liderado por el Sr Esteban Pons.


Positivo porque os permite a vosotros dejarles claro que el pueblo británico nunca cede ante el acoso. Esa postura del Partido Conservador en defensa del derecho inalienable de los gibraltareños a la autodeterminación no podía ser más rotunda y nunca cambiará.

Positivo porque os permite dejar claro que el Partido Conservador nunca contemplará una propuesta de soberanía compartida – como hizo Peter Hain en 2002 – porque el pueblo de Gibraltar y RU están atados por un vínculo tan irrompible que nadie debiera desatarlos en contra de nuestra voluntad.

Y tales declaraciones como que España y Argentina van a colaborar sobre los temas de Gibraltar y Las Malvinas no nos atemorizan; al contrario ponen acero en nuestra determinación conjunta para trabajar en defensa de nuestros derechos. Porque la presión en la frontera, que fue el modus operandi del partido Popular entre 1997 y 2003, no nos hará flaquear nunca.

Incluso la prohibición actual ilegal – que distorsiona el Mercado único – de la importación de rocas, arena y conglomerado industrial para la construcción, ni parará ni frenará nuestro progreso socio-económico ni nuestro programa de construir 1000 viviendas asequibles en los siguientes 26 meses.


Es algo positivo que el Partido Popular esté presente en esta conferencia ya que esto os da la oportunidad de enviar el mensaje a la cúpula del Partido en Madrid que la relación entre el Partido Tory y el PP ha quedado dañada por el tipo de tratamiento con que han fustigado al noble pueblo de Gibraltar. Es así, como han declarado ministros conservadores que la relación bilateral entre RU y España se resentirá si el acoso, las mentiras y la retórica continúan sin coto. Por lo tanto les pido a aquellos de vosotros que os encontréis con estos colegas que les recuerden las palabras de David Cameron, quien definió la postura clara e inequívoca del Partido Conservador y del Gobierno de RU cuando declaró en nuestro Día Nacional: “Gibraltar es británico. Mantengámoslo así”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVwUk6-Cqfg&feature=player_embedded

Porque la hermandad entre el pueblo de Gibraltar y Gran Bretaña es un vínculo irrompible. Es una asociación que se crece en la adversidad.

Incluso en temas donde al inicio parecemos tener intereses encontrados, podemos trabajar juntos para llegar a unos resultados mutuamente beneficiosos; como, por ejemplo, en el tema de las apuestas online y la propuesta del Ministro de Finanzas de introducir un impuesto ‘en el punto de consumo’, ya que los expertos de ‘online gambling’ se encuentran en Gibraltar, el Valle de Silicon y Las Vegas.

La Asociación Gibraltareña de Apuestas y Juegos – algunos miembros de los cuales se encuentran aquí hoy - trabaja con funcionarios de la Tesorería para ofrecerle sus indiscutibles conocimientos técnicos a nivel mundial para sacar adelante un conjunto de reglas ejecutables que beneficien tanto a Gibraltar como a RU.

Y nuestra asociación a nivel político también trabaja bien, ya que el Gobierno de su Majestad en Gibraltar está comprometido de lleno en ‘La Revisión del Balance de Competencias’ que está llevando a cabo RU donde aspiramos a tener nuestra voz y voto en el Euro-referéndum.

Ha sido un largo y caluroso verano, y ahora mismo hace un poco de calor en esta habitación, así que le voy a ceder mi lugar a un hombre que se ha ganado el respeto del pueblo de Gibraltar tanto en el gobierno como en la oposición; un verdadero amigo del Peñón y su pueblo: el Ministro de Exteriores – William Hague.