Tuesday 28 July 2015

Queues to enter Gibraltar - 7:30am The queue to come into Gibraltar!

Queues to enter Gibraltar - 7:30am The queue to come into Gibraltar.


A new day but unfortunately a bad start to the day for cross frontier workers who walk into Gibraltar from Spain. Many fearing to be late - all due to t he political inadequacies of a Spanish Government who are full intent in causing queues while they test their technology.

Pic below courtesy DB
THIS IS THE STRANGLEHOLD SPAIN CONTINUES TO HAVE ON US....
THEY ARE LEGALLY ENTITLED TO BORDER CONTROLS BECAUSE GIB IS NOT IN SCHENGEN & CUSTOMS UNION
UK IS NOT IN SCHENGEN BUT YES IN CUSTIMS UNION.
UK IS AN ISLAND AND SCHENGEN WORKS WELL FOR UK
BUT GIB CANNOT REMAIN OUT OF SCHENGEN.



Pic below from Social Media groups


AS you all know the Police and Guardia Civil are already complaining of being short-staffed! How can that be? Were the Government and leaders not aware that this was going to happen? Were they not aware of having to increase the man power to deal with this technology that they have imposed on themselves?


Believe you me they have known - do know and have planned it to be - that is to cause as much of a disruption as possible! To cause as much inconvenience as they can. But it will get worse - wait until they start on bicycles, motorcycles and all vehicles soon!

Even those sympathisers who use the example of queues in UK airports when you travel - you know it is wrong! There is no reason for this as we are talking about very few visitors or tourists but rather about continuous crossings of people who live in Spain but work in Gibraltar.

Spain wants to capture - and rightly so those who live there and pay no taxes! But please do not use the frontier for that - do what every other EU country is doing - sign an agreement with Gibraltar Government to exchange information!


But they will not as they are only pretending to care - they want Gibraltar to be theirs - that is the bottom line and do not be blinded by the lies!

We will not give in to workers leaving Gibraltar in a special queue that discriminates against locals and tourist - especially with many elderly- children and vulnerable people!


So if Spain is trying to pressure the EU to pressure our Government to allow a queue just for cross frontier workers- they better think again!

Defenders of Gibraltar will stand up against any discrimination or favouritism at the expense of all other people who are just as important to our ECONOMY - OUR TOURISTS! 

To the Spanish Government and the EU I ask that you show more humanity towards people by testing the new technology at a better time to cause least inconvenience to people and above all increase your staffing levels!

Special thanks to JF for the photos!

Anne-Marie Struggles

Monday 27 July 2015

Queues continue to be created in the heat by Spain while they test the new Technology at the busiest times!

Queues continue to be created in the heat by Spain while they test the new Technology at the busiest times!


The Spanish Government have ordered the testing of the new technology to be done at the busiest time for Cross Frontier Workers walking to work and back home .

This is now affecting not only tourists which is vital to our economy but now cross frontier workers and locals who want to either go to work or go to Spain for July Fair in La Linea.

Below is the pic taken at night.

This is not right - these queues are not seen in UK airports or the entrance and exit from France to Dover!

The excuse that UK is not in Schenghen is not acceptable. 

Enough excuses and the EU need to stand up and take note just like our UK Government must!




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YGTV - http://www.yourgibraltartv.com/politics/9746-jul-27-government-spain-causes-maximum-disruption-at-border

Jul 27 ­ Government: “Spain Causes Maximum Disruption At Border” Monday, 27 July 2015 20:13 The Gibraltar Office in Brussels has today been asked to relay information to the European Commission on the latest pedestrian delays at the border caused by the introduction of an Automated Border Control system on the Spanish side. Number Six says that these systems are designed to improve the fluidity of traffic across borders adding that “they are not meant to make things worse.” The Government received initial reports that the Policia Nacional started testing the new system on 16 July at around 12 noon. This created a queue of about 30 minutes for persons to enter Gibraltar on foot. Given the problem, at around 2pm on that day the Spanish authorities ended the tests. These problems arose again at the end of last week when the Policia Nacional started testing the system again. 
The problem, argues the Government, is that they chose to do so at peak time for persons exiting Gibraltar creating delays of up to an hour in the process. This caused considerable disruption to many people, including the elderly and children, who were stuck in a queue to enter Spain in over 30 degrees of heat. The Government has described the scenes at the border as “shocking and unacceptable.” The tests continued over the weekend and caught up people who were going to the fair in La Linea on their way out of Gibraltar, and again in the early hours when they returned home 27/07/2015 Jul 27 ­ Government: “Spain Causes Maximum Disruption At Border” http://www.yourgibraltartv.com/politics/9746­jul­27­government­spain­causes­maximum­disruption­at­border 2/6 from the fair. This morning a 30 minute delay started at 7.40am which affected workers and others coming into Gibraltar. Number Six says that, whilst these have been more recent developments, it should be remembered that, over a period of months, the Spanish authorities also failed to notify Gibraltar in a timely manner of the border changes to their infrastructure, traffic lanes and vehicle checks. In short, says the Government, “they have chosen not to behave as European partners once again.” Commenting on the latest disruption at the border, the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia said: “The arrival of the tourist season once again coincides with disruption and delays at the border generated by the Spanish authorities. This time it is the manner in which Spain has chosen to implement its infrastructure changes that has caused the problem. This is a serious political problem but it also has a very real human dimension. There are thousands of people who live in Spain and who work in Gibraltar who are once again being caught up in these unacceptable delays. Those affected also includes tourists. The irony is that the majority of those affected are Spanish citizens and that it is their own Government that is inflicting this hardship upon them. “In normal circumstances, is only to be expected that such a major change, which affects thousands of people every day, would at the very least have been the subject of a public information campaign on the part of Spain in order to create awareness among those persons who cross the border on a daily basis. This has not happened which means that the element of surprise has served to compound an already serious situation. “The Government will continue to expose Spanish actions at the border for as long as it is necessary. A fuller report, with photographs, statistics and media cuttings will follow what has already been sent to Brussels.”

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GBC.gi

Government to complain to European Commssion about latest pedestrian border queues

The Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Joseph Garcia, will be complaining to the European Commission about the latest pedestrian queues caused by Spain’s new electronic gates. Last week electronic passport readers were introduced at the frontier and this has been causing delays.
With Spanish authorities testing the new security equipment at the frontier, during peak queuing times, pedestrian queues built up to an hour waiting time on Monday morning.
The new electronic gates are part of Spain’s commitment to reduce queues following the European Commission’s recommendations last year. Pedestrians are requested to scan EU Compliant electronic passports or ID cards, their fingerprints, and use face recognition technology.
According to a Number Six press release, the manner in which the Spanish Government is implementing its new system seems to be designed to cause as much disruption as possible.
Last Thursday saw the worst pedestrian queues so far this summer, with tailbacks reaching back to the former airport terminal in scorching temperatures.




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Source Gibraltar Chronicle

GOVT REPORTS ‘LONG QUEUES’ TO EU

 The Gibraltar Government has included the long queues of Thursday afternoon at the frontier in its latest report to the EU. This was confirmed by Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia yesterday who said the report will be presented “in order to draw attention to the manner in which the Spanish government is implementing the recommendations made by the commission”.

“The effects of these seem to be designed to cause as much disruption as possible,” added Dr Garcia.The picture shows the extent of the queue at the border on Thursday afternoon. 


The queues which started on Thursday early afternoon began when the new passport e-gates at the frontier going into Spain became operational. At one point the waiting time was as long as 40 minutes in the heat of the afternoon, but there were reports of some people having to wait up to an hour and the queues lasting late into the evening.

There were no queues reported yesterday.

Meanwhile the reports to the EU by the Gibraltar Government are sent periodically and also carry photographic evidence.

In a statement last night the Government said that whilst the Spanish authorities may claim that they were merely testing new security equipment at the frontier, the Gibraltar Government will stress that the equipment was being tested just at the time which would cause the maximum disruption.

“The main impact of the delays was on persons who work in Gibraltar and who live in Spain, including many thousands of Spanish workers who commute in and out of Gibraltar every day, as well on people coming to Gibraltar on a tourism visit or on business,” said Dr Garcia adding that the consequence of the new systems being conducted by the Spanish authorities on pedestrians was felt particularly strongly by the elderly, young children and disabled persons in wheelchairs who were made to wait to cross the border from Gibraltar into Spain.

SPANISH INTERIOR MINISTER

Meanwhile Europa Press yesterday said Spanish Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz had visited the port of Algeciras on Thursday to see at first hand the new intelligence system in place.

Commenting on the new operation at the border he explained how following the recommendations of the European Union, the Spanish Government had installed the system “to facilitate the transit of people and vehicles to Gibraltar.”

He told Europa Press: “it is operating normally and one hundred percent.”

He further explained that the system had first come into play at the border earlier than the commitment made by Spain to the EU.

He explained there were 13 booths installed in the area.

Fernandez Diaz insisted its operation was” operating a hundred percent” and that had been made “before the agreed term.”
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Source from Panorama.
Spanish National Police complain of under staffing at frontier - and warn Spanish Govt of conflict
July 27, 2015
The Spanish National Police are complaining of under staffing at the frontier and are warning the Spanish Government of the conflicts that could arise unless the matter is urgently rectified.
It follows what the Gibraltar Government itself has described as “disgraceful scenes” at the frontier last Thursday when, in temperatures above 35 degrees, long pedestrian queues ensued all the way back to the runway control barrier.
The Spanish National Police are in an oblique way effectively being supportive of what Gibraltar has witnessed. It is said that the Spanish director-general for the police had ordered that all the new filters at the frontier, 13 in total, be introduced forthwith, coinciding with a visit to the port of Algeciras by the Spanish interior minister as a similar ‘intelligent frontier’ system has been got going there as well.
But the police at the La Linea frontier are incensed that the go-ahead has been given without proper staffing. They say that 15 police officers are required at the frontier for the new system to work properly, when only seven per shift are in operation.
In order to ameliorate the problem, police were urgently sent to the frontier from other units operating in La Linea, with the consequent depletion of essential services elsewhere.
The National Police at the frontier say they are suffering great stress given the circumstances under which they are expected to operate, which requires an urgent response from their relevant authorities including the interior ministry.
What is known to the Spanish as the ‘intelligent frontier’ system is officially known by its English name, which is Automatic Border System.
Spanish police are also complaining that this new system is being introduced without any type of information being provided to frontier users who daily cross the frontier.
One of two Spanish police unions also says that the A.B.C. system has been provided by a Portuguese company which has given them only one talk of some 2 hours explaining how the system works, with some of them claiming that they could not understand what it was all about as the person giving the talk was not too conversant with the Spanish language.
It would appear that neither the police nor the public, have been fully briefed about the new system.
Further, it could be that the system was suddenly given the go-ahead because the Spanish interior minister was in the area, as it turned out the minister visited the installations in the Algeciras port but did not bother to go to the La Linea frontier. It may have been too close to comfort to Gibraltar!
It could well be that, with the minister no longer in sight, the Spanish National Police headquarters in Madrid might tell La Linea to go back to normal and await further instructions. . .time will tell what exactly is going on. . .but certainly it is not as easy as A.B.C.
27-07-15 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR

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Where is the EU now - so much for the EU visits of the Commission and the EU JUstice! When will they learn that Spain is only after Gibraltar and will do anything to cause bad propaganda and try to damage our economy! 

Well SPAIN you will have to continue to wait as we will remain British forever!

Gerald Struggles

Thursday 23 July 2015

Spain creates a queue in 35 degrees heat to start testing and using the new Frontier ID and Passports egates!

35 degrees and hundreds standing for over an hour in the pedestrian queue!


We are all for the new supposedly better and more modern technology! But honestly does Spain have to choose the hottest time and days in Summer to test it?


The video is here - https://youtu.be/okM-FRo5RQo


They could have easily have began when the sun goes down and not like today from 3 - 7pm. The amount of people passing and in the scorching heat is just inhumane! This kind of behaviour should not go unnoticed by the Eu or UN Human Rights Watch.



As one cross frontier worker rightly states in Spanish

10 meses de obras para hacer la aduana mas transitable para que tenga que esperar 40 minutos antes de pasar por los escáneres donde por una habitación de 20 m2 por la que pasan 8000 personas me dan ganas de gritar del cuello de botella tan grande que se forma y nauseas por la falta de oxigenación .

Sucks.

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www.gbc.gi -

 http://www.gbc.gi/news/pedestrian-queues-spain-begins-testing-new-passport-e-gates-frontier-30091



Pedestrian queues at the border on Thursday evening were the worst yet this summer as Spanish border authorities have begun testing the new passport e-gates during peak queueing times.
The new electronic gates are part of Spain’s commitment to reduce queues following the European Commission’s recommendations last year. Pedestrians are requested to scan EU compliant electronic passports or ID cards, their fingerprints, and use face recognition technology.
Sources have told GBC the Spanish authorities have been testing the gates for the last few days, but today they are being tested at peak times for pedestrians, leading to tailbacks which have reached back to the former airport terminal.
Pedestrians have been reporting queues of up to an hour to cross the frontier.
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Another commented on social media:

And here I thought that all the new reformes down at the frontier were to provide a better faster service but here I am in a pedestrian queue stretching back to the old airport terminal small children included


One other cross worker goes on to say:


Spain hates us. And all I do is go to work in Gibraltar to bring us the practice of the entirety of the salary to spend on the Spanish economy. You have to have bad milk in madrid to order this on some of the more days hot of the year. I am sorry for the business where I normally spending the money, when this happens, I spent on money in Gibraltar and I am out later.

España nos odia. Y lo unico que hacemos es ir a trabajar a Gibraltar para despues traernos la practica totalidad del sueldo para gastarlo en la economia Española. Hay que tener mala leche en Madrid para ordenar esto en unos de los dias mas calurosos del año. Lo siento por los negocios donde normalmente me gasto el dinero, cuando pasa esto, me gasto en dinero en Gibraltar y salgo luego.


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Yet Spanish Newspapers report all is up and running and working?

Really then how come people had to stand in the scorching heat for hours today while they did a test run! Can someone out there explain that they must treat people with respect and test the technology at the least inconvenient time and at the most humane time that does not have people suffering like today!


FRONTERA DE LA LÍNEA
En cuanto a la Frontera Inteligente de La Línea de la Concepción, explica el ministro que, atendiendo las recomendaciones de la Unión Europea, ha sido instalada por el Gobierno de España para facilitar el tránsito de personas y vehículos a Gibraltar. Afirma que "está operando con normalidad y al cien por cien".
Detalla que "la frontera ha entrado en vigor en un plazo anterior al que España se comprometió con la UE". Explica que son 13 las cabinas instaladas en la zona perteneciente al Estado español "y está permitiendo que hayamos cubierto el compromiso adquirido con las autoridades comunitarias".
Finalmente, Fernández Díaz insiste en que su funcionamiento es "operativo al cien por cien" y en que se ha logrado "antes del plazo comprometido".
Fernández Díaz visita el sistema de Fronteras Inteligentes en Algeciras. . Se trata de un nuevo sistema implantado para agilizar el paso fronterizo de viajeros
EUROPASUR.ES



Please we ask our UK Government to speak sense to Spanish Government to choose times when the sun is not a hazard to people standing in it - or will both governments only react when there is a death?

Remember the queues are for everyone and no-one is exempt - so workers and tourist and locals must join the same queue as that is the humane and just thing to do!

Anne-Marie Struggles

Saturday 4 July 2015

Royal Navy RHIB struck by a survey probe from a Spanish state research vessel on Friday in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters!

Royal Navy RHIB struck by a survey probe from a Spanish state research vessel on Friday in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters!

Once again we find another dangerous incursions in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. This time not just by the Spanish Para military Guardia Civil but by the Spanish State Research Vessel -  Angeles Alvarino - the research vessel attempted to take executive action in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, by trying to drop probes into the sea to take readings. One of these probes hit a Royal Navy patrol boat as it sought to prevent it. Royal Navy, Royal Gibraltar Police and Gibraltar Defence Police vessels were all dispatched to the scene, with a Guardia Civil patrol boat also called in by the survey vessel.

The stand off of more than an hour was caught on photos and audio by many.
What is our Government, Our Governor, Our FCO doing? Nothing only the normal - paper protests!

I do believe until a person is badly injured or worse - is killed no-one anywhere will do anything!

Where in any other Country is this behaviour accepted? What happened to arresting and enforcing the laws?

Why is UK Government sacrificing the security of Gibraltar? UK Government has a duty and is failing - is this right?

I ask you all from the many different countries that read our blog - would you tolerate this non action? Of course not! So why are we having to put up with this day in and day out?

Our Governor - the FCO and the Navy also have failed us - so many warnings - so many protest!

Everyone can see it and know about it? But who dares rock the boat? Not even our Own Government is doing anything about it! Is it not high time that Gibraltar hold a massive demonstration to ensure UK get the message loud and clear?

"Do your duty and protect Gibraltar!"



Courtesy Tommy Finlayson who managed to capture the best photos of the incident in question!





Also Courtesy OF Tommy Finlayson Audio of the incident


INCURSION BY SPANISH SURVEY VESSEL ANGELES ALVARINO INTO GIBRALTAR WATERS

https://youtu.be/YMD_jGC6dUo3 JULY 2015 - Incursion by Spanish survey vessel Angeles Alvarino

Both the Government and the Convent have described as “unacceptable” an unlawful incursion, which saw a Royal Navy RHIB struck by a survey probe from a Spanish state research vessel on Friday. The Angeles Alvarino entered British Gibraltar Territorial Waters on more than one occasion this afternoon, in what the Government has called “a three-hour stand-off”.

According to the Government, the Angeles Alvarino attempted to take executive action in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, by trying to drop probes into the sea to take readings: one of these hit a Royal Navy patrol boat as it sought to prevent it. Royal Navy, Royal Gibraltar Police and Gibraltar Defence Police vessels were all dispatched to the scene, with a Guardia Civil patrol boat also called in by the survey vessel.

The Government describes the incident as “dangerous and reckless nonsense”, adding it marks the start of the summer season when the current Spanish Government uses Gibraltar as a distraction to divert attention from problems at home. It says it’s absurd that Spain should provoke an incident of this kind, engaging law enforcement vessels from both sides when there’s much more important work to be done in the fight against organised crime, human trafficking and terrorism.

For its part, the Convent has reiterated its concern about the “dangerous manner” in which the Angeles Alvarino acted. In a statement, it said it’s very fortunate that no-one was hurt and that no serious damage was done, adding it’s made clear its disappointment that this was a repeat of a similar incident last October. The Convent says it’s protested the incursion directly to the Spanish authorities at a senior level, making clear that such violations of the UK’s sovereignty are unacceptable. It’s restated its position that such incursions do not weaken the international legal basis for UK sovereignty over BGTW.

This recording contains footage recorded during the event. The audio is a series of clips recorded from Marine Band Channel 16 during the incursion.

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Courtesy GBC News

http://www.gbc.gi/news/incursion-spanish-survey-vessel-angeles-alvarino-29959

Incursion by Spanish survey vessel Angeles Alvarino

Both the Government and the Convent have described as “unacceptable” an unlawful incursion, which saw a Royal Navy RHIB struck by a survey probe from a Spanish state research vessel on Friday. The Angeles Alvarino entered British Gibraltar Territorial Waters on more than one occasion this afternoon, in what the Government has called “a three-hour stand-off”.
According to the Government, the Angeles Alvarino attempted to take executive action in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, by trying to drop probes into the sea to take readings: one of these hit a Royal Navy patrol boat as it sought to prevent it. Royal Navy, Royal Gibraltar Police and Gibraltar Defence Police vessels were all dispatched to the scene, with a Guardia Civil patrol boat also called in by the survey vessel.
The Government describes the incident as “dangerous and reckless nonsense”, adding it marks the start of the summer season when the current Spanish Government uses Gibraltar as a distraction to divert attention from problems at home. It says it’s absurd that Spain should provoke an incident of this kind, engaging law enforcement vessels from both sides when there’s much more important work to be done in the fight against organised crime, human trafficking and terrorism.
For its part, the Convent has reiterated its concern about the “dangerous manner” in which the Angeles Alvarino acted. In a statement, it said it’s very fortunate that no-one was hurt and that no serious damage was done, adding it’s made clear its disappointment that this was a repeat of a similar incident last October. The Convent says it’s protested the incursion directly to the Spanish authorities at a senior level, making clear that such violations of the UK’s sovereignty are unacceptable. It’s restated its position that such incursions do not weaken the international legal basis for UK sovereignty over BGTW.


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Courtesy Gibraltar Chronicle
http://www.chronicle.gi/headlines_details.php?id=36140

BRITAIN PROTESTS OVER ‘DANGEROUS’ INCURSION BY SPANISH SURVEY SHIP

by Brian Reyes
A Royal Navy speedboat received a blow from a heavy oceanographic probe as it tried to prevent a Spanish survey ship from taking readings in British waters yesterday.

No one was injured in the incident but the actions of the Spanish ship were described as “reckless and dangerous” and drew a rapid diplomatic protest from the British Government.

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo called for a “clear and robust” response from Britain to avoid any further repetition, even as he warned that such incidents could increase over the summer and in the run-up to Spain’s general election.
The research ship Ángeles Alvariño, operated by the Spanish oceanographic institute, was attempting to collect samples and readings inside British Gibraltar territorial waters.

The vessel – and others like it – has been here before in the past as part of Spain’s efforts to exert jurisdiction within a Spanish EU-designated nature site that overlaps into British waters.

Every time it enters, Royal Navy vessels in Gibraltar, together with other agencies, attend and prevent it from carrying out the research work, which is unlawful in British waters.

Within hours of the events at sea yesterday, the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office had

lodged a formal protest at senior level with the Spanish Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Madrid.

“We have protested the incursion directly to the Spanish authorities at a senior level, making clear that such violations of the UK’s sovereignty are unacceptable,” said a spokesman for The Convent.

“We have also reiterated our concern about the dangerous manner in which the Angeles Alvariño acted.”

“The vessel deployed a survey probe which struck a Royal Navy rigid inflatable hulled boat. It is very fortunate that no-one was hurt and no serious damage was done.”

“We made clear our disappointment that this was a repeat incident of the one in October last year.”
The incident had been closely monitored at a very senior level in Spain even prior to the British complaint. Just before 1pm, while the Spanish vessel was still in British waters off the Rock, Ignacio Ybañez, Spain’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, tweeted that the Ángeles Alvariño was conducting scientific studies “in Spanish waters in the bay of Algeciras”.

Yesterday’s incident unfolded in the Bay of Gibraltar and off Europa Point.

There was a tense stand-off involving the research ship, a Guardia Civil vessel and several vessels from Gibraltar, including patrol boats from the Royal Navy, the Royal Gibraltar Police and the Gibraltar Defence Police.

Navy personnel read out warnings to the Spanish vessel urging it to leave. In response, crew on the Ángeles Alvariño said they were conducting scientific work in Spanish waters. The Spanish vessels finally departed British waters after about three hours.

“This was, once again, dangerous and reckless nonsense no doubt orchestrated and applauded at the highest political levels of the current Spanish Government in pursuit of their claim to the sovereignty of our waters, an objective which it will never achieve,” the Chief Minister said.

“It’s not going to happen legally or factually, however many probes they deploy and even former Spanish Ambassadors to the UN have recognised that.”

“Once again, today, lives have been endangered and police and navy time has been wasted by these useless and needlessly provocative activities.”

Mr Picardo said the fact that the incident was unfolding as authorities in Gibraltar held a minute’s silence for the victims of the terror attack in Tunisia demonstrated “extraordinary crassness” and “an forgiveable lack of common decency”.

According to The Convent, there have been 218 unlawful incursions into British waters by Spanish state vessels during the first six months of 2015.

“The UK continues to take very seriously any attempt by Spain to exercise jurisdiction or control within British Gibraltar Territorial Waters,” the spokesman for The Convent said.

“Incursions are a violation of sovereignty. They do not weaken or undermine the international legal basis for UK sovereignty over British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.”
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So the question is when will UK, FCO and Our Governor do anything?
When will our Government start to tell UK Government, FCO and Our Governor that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH? NO more letters of protest - ACTION!
Unfortunately we all know too well that until there is a DEATH no-one will do anything!
Please join us in raising the awareness so that those in charge do what they are paid to do!
Gerald Strugglest