European Commission needs to revisit the problem with the border queues!

EU Commission must review the problems at the Border with Spain!

There is no doubt in anyone's mind that the current situation at the border with Spain is affecting everyone! The situation is having an adverse effect on both sides and people from all parts of the European Community! The people affected and not just cross frontier workers or Gibraltarians but it affects Tourism in general! It also is affecting transports of goods which are not just for businesses but essential medical necessities.

We are all aware that Spain upped their inhumane border queues after the EU commission's unfair decision! Why inhumane? Basically everyone who lives and breathes the life as we do, in that, I mean those living on either side of the border experience everyday what goes on! Is it right that people have to wait in queues caused on purpose by Spanish Para Military Guardia Civils on every "whim" from their Spanish Government? Is it right that  it was affecting only Cars, Motorbikes and cyclists? Remember the queues at any sudden moment with no reason can be from 2 hours to 8 hours! We have had these queues at times to coincide with some political event that has upset Spain! It has been so obvious that even when a timetable was leaked it did not surprise anyone!

However, what people did not expect was that once the bully (that Spanish Government are) were told by EU commission they did not wrong- lo and behold they quickly upped their attack - now on pedestrians! Honestly who can actually give a valid answer to these twists in their so called controls? Anyone who lives and breathes the border life are the only people who can or should have spoken to the EU Commission! The failings on the report and the visit and the conclusion was the very foundation on what they had based their visit was too political! One cannot solve a political situation hearing only from Governments! The way to be fair and investigate the problem would have been meeting the people affected - the actual people who have their lives affected by these inhumane queues! Come on! One does not have to be a scientist to know and see who are the so called tobacco smugglers! Also  do you really think that with so many larger areas of smuggling like the Port of Algeciras or Valencia that Gibraltar Border is a threat? You could only believe the bad Spanish Press publicity if you do not know much about the life in Gibraltar or in towns by the Border!

Gibraltar has over ten thousand cross border workers representing the whole of all the European Union countries! They cross daily - some not once or twice but quite a lot of times! These cross border workers which include people from Gibraltar and Spain too,  have a long history of life on both sides of the border! Both countries providing life for all sides, Gibraltar providing jobs that are not available in Spain due to their financial crisis and for many of us in Gibraltar Spain provides us with places to shop, live and have fun - due to the enormous size of their country! Remember Gibraltar is a great place to live and work but being limited in space means we are also limited in may ways - countryside, shops and restaurants to mention just a few.

All that people want from both sides of the border is to live in peace and tranquility and be able to work and travel freely! This is what everyone wants to do without having to negotiate anything in return! By this I mean all we want is to remain British Gibraltarians and all they want as cross border workers is to be able to work and not change their nationality either!

So what needs to happen? The Government of Spain needs to STOP using the Border as a political weapon and STOP using people from all over Europe as a means to cause them misery, just because they work or visit Gibraltar!

The European Commission not only failed the people of Gibraltar and Spain but actually failed all EU citizens that live or work in Gibraltar!

I say shame on your EU and shame on our UK Government and Foreign Office for not protecting the people! Also for not standing up to the bully that Spain is!

People need to rise up and stand up and speak out!

How can you do this with us and for us?

Please Sign and Share
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/spanish-government-undermining-our-right-to-freedom-of-movement.html

Grassroots group plans EU protest
The Gibraltar Government will sponsor a group of Gibraltarians and local residents who plan to travel to Brussels to protest before the European Union about delays caused by Spanish checks at the border.
The group approached the Government in recent months and is said to include people from all walks of life and from all shades of political opinion.

“The result of these discussions is that a group of Gibraltarians and residents of Gibraltar will travel to Brussels at the end of the month in order to complain about the continuing illegal and disproportionate queues at the border,” the Government said in a statement.

A spokesman added: “The Government is assisting with funding and some logistics assistance.”

The office of Gibraltar’s Liberal Democrat MEP, Sir Graham Watson, has arranged for members of the group to meet with the MEPs currently representing Gibraltar and with other MEPs and officials.

“The Government is planning initiatives of its own in Brussels and will not be involved in this movement which is led by members of the public,” the Government statement said.

“Those participating do so in an individual capacity regardless of their employment, their political sympathies or their group affiliations.”

The group plans to hold protests in Brussels at the EU Parliament and elsewhere.

Representatives of the group – the identity of those travelling has not been confirmed as yet - will also give a presentation to MEPs and hand over a petition.

Members of the public are invited to sign this petition, online at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/spanish-government-undermining-our-right-to-freedom-of-movement.html

The petition to the Chairman of the Petitions Committee of the European Parliament reads as follows:

“We the undersigned are nationals of Member States of the European Union whose right to freedom of movement through an internal border of the EU is being undermined on a daily basis by the actions of the Spanish authorities at the land frontier between Gibraltar and Spain.”

“This is because Spain generates deliberate and unnecessary delays which cause queues of pedestrians, motorcycles, bicycles and cars to cross the frontier between Gibraltar and Spain. These delays can last for many hours.

We urge your Committee to investigate the matter.”
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This is an example of how they are targeting pedestrians who are daily workers.


EU Commission you need to be fair to over ten thousand frontier workers and to thirty thousand Gibraltarians!

Anne-Marie Struggles