Government Expresses Solidarity With Ceuta And Reassures Gibraltar
The Government has expressed solidarity with Ceuta following the recent migrant crisis, with Chief Minister Fabian Picardo also addressing the situation in an interview with Times Radio.
A statement front the Government follows below:
HM Government of Gibraltar is following with deep concern the grave humanitarian emergency unfolding in Ceuta following the unprecedented arrival of tens of thousands of people into the city.
The Government extends its heartfelt condolences to the families of those who have tragically lost their lives and expresses its solidarity with the people and authorities of Ceuta at this extraordinarily difficult time.
Our thoughts are also with the Spanish emergency services, law enforcement agencies, humanitarian organisations and European authorities working under immense pressure to protect life, restore order and provide assistance to those affected.
The Government is maintaining close contact with the relevant authorities and wishes to reassure the people of Gibraltar that, while any consequences for Gibraltar are extremely unlikely, all necessary precautions are being taken.
A person who has entered Spain or the wider Schengen area irregularly does not acquire any right as a consequence to enter Gibraltar, seek employment here or establish residence in Gibraltar. Gibraltar’s immigration, employment and residence laws continue to apply in full.
The Royal Gibraltar Police, the Borders and Coastguard Agency and other relevant authorities are already operating with heightened vigilance following the implementation of the Treaty and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Where there are reasonable grounds to believe that a person already in Gibraltar has entered unlawfully or has no lawful basis to remain, the authorities will take the appropriate action under Gibraltar law.
This may include detention, removal or return to the frontier, subject in every case to the applicable legal procedures and the individual circumstances concerned.
The Government stresses that there is presently no reason for alarm in Gibraltar. Our law enforcement and border agencies remain alert, coordinated and prepared to respond to any unlikely consequences arising from this emergency.
A further statement from the Government regarding the Chief Minister’s interview with Times Radio:
The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo KC MP, has spoken to Times Radio following the unprecedented movement of migrants into Ceuta, expressing Gibraltar’s solidarity with the people of Ceuta, the families of those who have died, and the Spanish authorities responding to the emergency.
During the interview, the Chief Minister described the loss of 61 lives as a human tragedy which should remain at the centre of the international response.
He praised the Spanish Government and law enforcement agencies for their handling of an extraordinarily difficult situation and called for a proper international investigation into the circumstances which led so many people to undertake such a dangerous journey.
The Chief Minister also firmly reassured the people of Gibraltar that there is no danger to the community and that Gibraltar’s laws on entry, residence and employment remain fully enforceable.
Mr Picardo criticised those on the political right who have sought to exploit the crisis for partisan advantage, using fear and misinformation to construct a political narrative around a profound human tragedy.
He said: “This is not a moment for political opportunism or alarmist rhetoric. It is a moment for solidarity, responsible leadership and a clear focus on the human lives that have been lost.”
The Chief Minister also urged those considering irregular migration not to place themselves in the hands of traffickers or those spreading false promises.
He said: “Do not listen to the lies of human traffickers. Stay safe with your family and pursue safe and legal migration routes.”
The full Times Radio interview with the Chief Minister is published alongside this statement.
