May 07 - Dutch Journalists Visit Gibraltar On Tour Of Europe’s Most Challenging Borders
Two young Dutch journalists have been in Gibraltar over the past two days researching a report on Europe’s most challenging frontiers.
Saskia Jonker and Joris Kooiman, who work for the financial newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad, have been interviewing locals and law enforcement personnel about the recent tensions with Spain at the land frontier.
Saskia says that there is “little or no awareness” of the frontier problem in the Netherlands and that part of the reason for writing this article is to inform the Dutch public about the background to the current dispute.
The pair have received opposing views on the origins of the tense standoff that exists between the two European neighbours. Whereas Spanish fishermen continue to claim that the problem stems from the laying of an artificial reef in July last year, locals maintain that it is the policies of the current PP government that are to blame. Nevertheless, says Joris, the overall impression is that it remains a “political problem” which does not interfere with interpersonal relations.
Joris describes the border restrictions as “artificial” and “hard to understand” because, although Gibraltar is located within Europe, he was surprised by the effects of the frontier delays which, he says, were “more serious” than he had imagined.
As for their impression of Gibraltar, they say that they were surprised by the mix of cultures and languages and the fact that locals, as opposed to many in the United Kingdom, are in favour of a closer relationship with Europe.
The journalists say that they experienced the Spanish restrictions at first hand yesterday when they were made to stand in a 20 minute long pedestrian queue.
Saskia and Joris are travelling to Melilla tomorrow to look at how authorities there are struggling to control the recent wave of illegal immigrants.
