Jul 30 - Government: Everyone Is Entitled To A Free Flowing Frontier
The Government notes the publication yesterday in Spain's "Boletin Oficial del Estado" of a new special regime under which cross border workers will be allowed to cross the land frontier between Gibraltar and Spain.
It is expected that in practice this will apply mainly to EU nationals who live in Spain and who work in Gibraltar, the bulk of whom are Spanish.
The Government considers that any proposed solution towards a free flowing frontier must also encompass EU nationals and others who are not workers, like tourists and residents on both sides, whose right to freedom of movement continues to be undermined by Spain.
The reality, says the Government, is that the Spanish authorities make life difficult for people and vehicles crossing the border for political reasons and because they want to. All that Madrid has to do is to improve the flow rate of cars and persons and operate proper red and green channels. This alone will reduce waiting times to cross the frontier.
The Government is in close discussions with its legal advisers and with the United Kingdom Government on this latest development and will comment further once matters have been analysed in more detail.
