Defenders of Gibraltar will continue to Stand against any Bullying to Gibraltar!
As we come nearer to the end of the year 2014 we are very happy of what we have achieved by raising the bullying tactics to a new level! For many years we have been silenced by media and not given the importance we deserve as a country and as a people. But it has been great to finally break into the worldwide media on many issues that have affected us that are done by the bully that Spain has proved to be.
Spanish government have not finished but at long last have lightened up quite a bit due to such awakening in all media circles.
Let us not forget that Spanish armed Guardia Civil continue to do illegal incursions in our British Gibraltar Territorial Waters! We have Spanish government still giving orders to the Police and Guardia civil at the border to create long queues which are both inhumane and unjust! We are also discriminated continually in institutions like the European Union, EU Commission and EU Justice on rulings or decisions where Spain is still fighting to leave Gibraltar out of any vital decisions like the EU Open Skies Agreement.
Spain has managed to get Gibraltar out of the European Open Skies program
Development Minister, Ana Pastor, had a large argument with her counterpart, Patrick McLoughlin, from the British Transport Department in the meeting of the Transports Council in the EU.
Dec 4, 2014 - 8:33:30 AM
Ana Pastor said for Spain this is ‘a matter of State and of vital interest for Spain, because it affects our sovereignty and territorial integrity’
She threatened to veto Open Skies if Gibraltar airport was included.
McLoughlin said, ‘Gibraltar forms part of all the treaties in the Union, and has all the right to form part of the initiative, and Spain has to stop the blockage at the border’.
The European Open Skies is an ambitious initiative to improve the management of air transport and navigational services across 28 countries in the European Union.
Yesterday’s decision confirms a ruling made last March when the European Parliament excluded Gibraltar, a decision David Cameron has been fighting since then.
The Spaniards have always felt the Gibraltar Airport is illegal given the isthmus where it is located was not mentioned in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht.
Finally a vote was taken in the EU council with the only opposition of the United Kingdom.
She threatened to veto Open Skies if Gibraltar airport was included.
Ana Pastor - archive photo
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McLoughlin said, ‘Gibraltar forms part of all the treaties in the Union, and has all the right to form part of the initiative, and Spain has to stop the blockage at the border’.
The European Open Skies is an ambitious initiative to improve the management of air transport and navigational services across 28 countries in the European Union.
Yesterday’s decision confirms a ruling made last March when the European Parliament excluded Gibraltar, a decision David Cameron has been fighting since then.
The Spaniards have always felt the Gibraltar Airport is illegal given the isthmus where it is located was not mentioned in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht.
Finally a vote was taken in the EU council with the only opposition of the United Kingdom.
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UK Government responded swiftly:
London has criticised Spain over her actions on European Open Skies
Foreign Minister, Philip Hammond, made his comment yesterday, after earlier in the week Spain threatened to veto the Open Skies agreement if Gibraltar airport was included. The veto was not necessary but the threat had the desired effect.
Dec 6, 2014 - 7:23:01 AM
Philip Hammond has now said, ‘This is an important piece of legislation for the community states and the industry has been detained so Spain can score a political point’. Hammond was taking on the phone to his Italian counterpart, Paolo Gentiloni, as Italy current holds the EU presidency.
In a later statement the Foreign Minister observed, ‘Spain is trying to use a European process to force negotiations on the sovereignty of Gibraltar. Have no doubt. The United Kingdom will never agree to any arrangement under which the Gibraltarian people will go under the control of another State against their wishes’.
Yesterday the European Commission reiterated its ‘neutrality’ on the matter of Gibraltar which had to be solved between London and Madrid.
Last Wednesday, the Spanish development minister, Ana Pastor, said she was ‘very satisfied’ because ‘Spain had defended the most important which is national sovereignty’.
Hammond considers the sovereignty of the Rock is outside the competences of the European Union and the recent events have merely been a distraction.
‘We are confident that the EU will have no other option to but to follow their own rules, and apply the legislation to Gibraltar’.
Philip Hammond - Archive photo
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In a later statement the Foreign Minister observed, ‘Spain is trying to use a European process to force negotiations on the sovereignty of Gibraltar. Have no doubt. The United Kingdom will never agree to any arrangement under which the Gibraltarian people will go under the control of another State against their wishes’.
Yesterday the European Commission reiterated its ‘neutrality’ on the matter of Gibraltar which had to be solved between London and Madrid.
‘We are confident that the EU will have no other option to but to follow their own rules, and apply the legislation to Gibraltar’. |
Last Wednesday, the Spanish development minister, Ana Pastor, said she was ‘very satisfied’ because ‘Spain had defended the most important which is national sovereignty’.
Hammond considers the sovereignty of the Rock is outside the competences of the European Union and the recent events have merely been a distraction.
‘We are confident that the EU will have no other option to but to follow their own rules, and apply the legislation to Gibraltar’.
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Things continue the same or worse for us on different issues and we need more support from other countries in the EU or not!
The below was written by in 2010 by Gibraltar Action Group so look how long we have been and continue to fight for our rights.
http://www.gib-action.com/restrictions.html
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
"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. (lifted after Cordoba Agreement)
- 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. (lifted after Cordoba Agreement)
- Refusal to allow Gibraltar to participate in EC 'Open Skies' Directive or other EU aviation measures. (lifted after Cordoba Agreement)
- 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. (lifted after Cordoba Agreement)
- If a flight to Gibraltar is diverted to Malaga, freight, including mail and coffins containing the deceased, cannot be unloaded. (lifted after Cordoba Agreement)
- 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. (lifted after Cordoba Agreement)
- 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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Even the EU have tried their utmost but...
http://typicallyspanish.com/news-spain/gib/Spain_has_ignored_the_European_Commission_s_instruction_over_Gibraltar.shtml
Spain has ignored the European Commission’s instruction over Gibraltar
Last November 6, a three-month period established by the Commission came to an end. The deadline demanded the problems of traffic flow at the border be solved between Gibraltar and Spain, and Gibraltar must cut down on the smuggling of contraband tobacco.
Nov 17, 2014 - 1:36:22 PM
It seems neither request has been complied with: During last week the queues were lasting more than three and a half hours, but Madrid has now declared the controls are ‘reasonable’.
‘In addition, we are working on an ambitious project of frontier intelligence which will be ready before next summer’, so said the Government Sub-Delegate for Cádiz, Javier de Torres, who added five million € has been spent on the project.
The Spanish who work on the Rock think there is nothing ‘reasonable’ about the delays. Juan José Uceda, spokesman for the Cultural Association for Spanish Workers in Gibraltar (ASCTEG), said, ‘Gibraltar is meeting the recommendations, but Spain still hasn’t’.
A European spokesman assured after the recommendations effectuated last August, the European Commission will continue to supervise how fast the required changes are being made, and given three months has now passed any ‘surprise’ visit is possible.
Last week, the Trans-frontier Association for a Humanitarian Border, sent another complaint to the European commissioner, Cecile Malmströn, describing the on-going situation. A protest which the commissioner transferred to the Interior Minister, Jorge Fernández Díaz, in writing, expressing her anger at the way the citizens crossing the border are being treated.
Juan José Uceda, justified his opposition to the border controls, saying the amount of tobacco seized from pedestrians and in vehicles is ‘insignificant’ compared to the 12 metre long containers filled with contraband cigarettes which regularly enter Spanish ports from Asia.
‘In addition, we are working on an ambitious project of frontier intelligence which will be ready before next summer’, so said the Government Sub-Delegate for Cádiz, Javier de Torres, who added five million € has been spent on the project.
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The Spanish who work on the Rock think there is nothing ‘reasonable’ about the delays. Juan José Uceda, spokesman for the Cultural Association for Spanish Workers in Gibraltar (ASCTEG), said, ‘Gibraltar is meeting the recommendations, but Spain still hasn’t’.
A European spokesman assured after the recommendations effectuated last August, the European Commission will continue to supervise how fast the required changes are being made, and given three months has now passed any ‘surprise’ visit is possible.
Last week, the Trans-frontier Association for a Humanitarian Border, sent another complaint to the European commissioner, Cecile Malmströn, describing the on-going situation. A protest which the commissioner transferred to the Interior Minister, Jorge Fernández Díaz, in writing, expressing her anger at the way the citizens crossing the border are being treated.
Juan José Uceda, justified his opposition to the border controls, saying the amount of tobacco seized from pedestrians and in vehicles is ‘insignificant’ compared to the 12 metre long containers filled with contraband cigarettes which regularly enter Spanish ports from Asia.
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We must state that our Present Governor is doing a great job in highlighting that Gibraltar is British and his Christmas message leaves us with no doubt of his support for our Country and people!
This year has been a year of having more UK army/Naval presence since a long time.
Listen to Our Governor's Speech -
http://www.livestream.com/gbctelevision/video?clipId=pla_9a362261-1e22-4924-bbbd-52624877eb91&utm_source=lslibrary&utm_medium=ui-thumb
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So what would we like or expect for 2015?
- More support from all other EU Countries and non EU also
- More support from the FCO - not just words on illegal incursions!
- More support from UK MPs and MEPs
- More support from the EU Parliament, Commission and Justice institutions and for them to stand up to Spain!
- No more bullying tactics from Spain or their Spanish media.
Our Christmas and New Year Message:
To All members, supporters and friends of Defenders of Gibraltar, on behalf of all the committee we wish you and your loved ones a Happy Christmas and or Happy Holidays!
We will keep on standing up for Gibraltar against any bullying or injustice done to us by Spain or EU!
We have been working very hard all year round in many ways! The results have been great as our present Governor is very supportive! So on behalf of Gibraltar Thank you Sir James Dutton to living up to your promises!
Thank you to Fabian Picardo and Danny Feetham for all your support and guidance!
Special thanks to Tommy Finlayson and Franz-Josef Odinius and many others for your constant reporting, photos etc!
Michael Sanchez one of the most great Defenders of Gibraltar don't give up my friend! As is Solomon Momy Levy both great examples of not giving up!
For 2015 we wish everyone Health, Happiness and Love!
As Chairperson I would like to thank Gareth Gingell for all his hard work from the beginning and who still works very hard with many in UK.
Let us all continue to be vigilant in protecting our Gibraltar, culture, language and our British Gibraltarian identity!
Thank you also to The Committee!
Anne-Marie Struggles
Chairperson
Chairperson
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