May 17 - Picardo Tells German Newspaper 'Gibraltar is Silicon Valley of Online Gaming'
Chief Minister Fabian Picardo was last week interviewed by German newspaper Frankfurter Allegmeine Zeitung correspondent Leo Wieland, in Madrid. Responding to questions on the 300th anniversary of the Treaty of Utrecht Mr. Picardo explained that the treaty does not give cause for celebration, ‘as, among other reasons, it was formulated in a highly discriminatory manner. For example, it does not allow Jews or Moors to settle there. For this reason, this is a year of commemoration of a historic moment but not an occasion to set off fireworks.’
The paper also quotes the Chief Minister as saying he is firmly convinced that Gibraltar will never be Spanish because today’s Europe is about the people rather than the states. He adds that there is absolutely no dialogue with Spain as they have withdrawn from the Trilateral Forum.
With regards to Gibraltar’s gross domestic product, Mr. Picardo insists that Gibraltar has a booming economy with seven million tourists visiting every year. He adds that Gibraltar’s Financial Services is severely regulated.
He explains that Gibraltar is already the Silicon Valley of online gaming and aspires to become the Silicon Valley for financial transactions in Europe. The world’s largest companies are resident on the Rock because Gibraltar provides strict control and security, he says.
He adds that Gibraltar has OECD approval and cannot be classified as a Tax Haven. It already has Tax Information Agreements with many countries.
Gibraltar, says Mr Picardo, seeks the right to self-determination and is striving for a tailor- made solution, which allows a maximum of self-government under the British Crown.
