Feb 01 PDP - Territorial Waters Incursions
The PDP notes with regret, that despite strongly worded protest from the Government and the Governor which translate into foreign office diplomatic protests, incursions into our sovereign waters persist and are escalating.
More alarming, matters have now escalated to a level that commercial activity has now been the subject of interruption in yesterday’s incursion. The PDP urges the Government not to underestimate the significance of this development. It marks a threat to one of Gibraltar’s economic pillars, namely port activity, bunkering and other related sea going business.
In a recent Viewpoint programme in which the PDP leader Nick Cruz, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and GSD leader Peter Caruana took part, Mr Cruz predicted that if the issue was not nipped in the bud by the Government this development was likely to follow. All three leaders agreed that under our constitution the Governor was responsible for defence and the RGP for policing British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.
Gilbert Licudi QC, Minister with responsibility for Financial Services has signed a Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with the Republic of Poland. The signing took place in London at the Polish Embassy and the Republic of Poland was represented by Mr Witold Sobkow, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland in the United Kingdom. Mr Sobkow was, inter alia, previously Poland’s Representative to the United Nations and Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland.
His Excellency The Governor is aware of the recent unlawful incursions, including this morning, by Spanish Guardia Civil vessel Rio Cedena. The Guardia Civil today attempted to exercise jurisdiction over a working vessel inside BGTW. This follows Tuesday’s unlawful attempt by the Guardia Civil to exercise jurisdiction over a pleasure boat in BGTW.
"In November of 2012, the Defenders of Gibraltar collected almost 10,000 signatures aimed at urging the Governor (as the British Crowns representative in our homeland) to act in maintaining the integrity of British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. Since the petition was handed over to the Governor (who in turn personally handed said petition directly to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office), we have seen a small increase in the presence of Royal Navy Vessels in and around our waters. These naval visits usually consist of a 24-hour stay and a full patrol of our territorial waters. During these visits, the Spanish Paramilitary and Customs vessels tend to refrain from illegally entering our territorial waters (however this is the exception rather than the rule). However due to the brevity of these visits, they have had no lasting or worthwhile impact on the situation in our waters.
The Gibraltar Government has today condemned a recent spate of incursions by the Guardia Civil into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. They claim that the two incidents, that took place yesterday involving the GC vessels ‘Rio Cardena’ and ‘Rio Tormes’, ‘are totally unacceptable’.
