"In the electoral campaign, the 'Gibraltar affair' has entered the stage, even though negotiations between the United Kingdom and Spain are on hold until after the electoral event on July 23rd. Those running for a parliamentary seat in the province of Cádiz cannot omit this issue from their discourse, as it affects not only Andalusia but the whole of Spain. It also concerns the people living on the Rock and the United Kingdom, which legally and illegally holds part of Spanish territory. The legality aspect refers to the Treaty of Utrecht, which, despite one party disliking it, was signed for posterity. However, for England, which has signed thousands of treaties, another one is just a piece of paper. The force of 'cannons' supersedes the reason of 'treaties,' and Spain possibly always lacked cannons, as was the case with Almería when it attempted to become an independent canton during the First Spanish Republic. A little song my father used to sing, whose family originated from that land of 'esparto,' went like this: 'Almería, don't get too proud, don't challenge Spain, because you have no cannons, all you have are eye boogers' (referring to working with esparto).
Returning to Gibraltar, in the electoral campaign, even if briefly mentioned, some candidates or interior ministers keep insisting that if 'the others' win, relations with the neighboring 'Rock' will become very difficult. From within the fence, many people believe this will indeed happen and 'pray,' or do more, for the Spanish government's stance not to change on July 23rd. Spain's government position regarding Gibraltar can be found at this link (https://www.exteriores.gob.es/es/PoliticaExterior/Paginas/Gibraltar.aspx), and it is based, as it should be, on what was signed by France on behalf of Spain in the Dutch city of Utrecht on July 13, 1713. Several days ago marked the 310th anniversary of that historical 'milestone' that has shaped the destiny of this territory, known as the Campo de Gibraltar, since then. The 'Yanitos,' as they are called, claim that things are not going well for them at the moment, but they fear a political change would be detrimental to their interests. Nevertheless, it's worth noting that, according to the treaty, the United Kingdom illegally controls a significant part of the territory that will be affected by the upcoming treaty with the European Union. The legality of their possession is specifically outlined in Article X of the Treaty of Utrecht, by which the Spanish Crown ceded 'the city and castle of Gibraltar, along with its port, defenses, and fortresses that belong to it,' to Great Britain. Beyond that, illegality prevails in other aspects. There are no adjacent waters, no airspace, not even the isthmus, as the treaty expressly forbids any land connection. Furthermore, that isthmus, slightly over 1 square kilometer or 1 million square meters in size, belongs to the territory that constitutes the Línea de la Concepción since its creation in 1870, many years before the British usurped it by erecting the fence in 1909. It could be a good time to charge Gibraltar for renting this municipality's land, at x euros per rustic meter occupied, for over 1 million square meters, resulting in hundreds of millions of euros. If it was constructed on rustic land without a permit, the price goes up even more. A substantial amount of money for the much-needed Línea de la Concepción."
But we are in 2023, and solutions must be found to centuries of disagreements. Now, in the electoral campaign, there are those who can look at the present and guide the future, and those who perceive it from the past. In the latter case, confrontation arises. The people living on the Rock desire what anyone would wish for: "the best" for themselves. However, they might not have realized from the "Rock" that their immediate future lies in forming a "collective identity" alongside the inhabitants of the Bay of Algeciras, who cannot continue to be "mistreated" as they receive very little and suffer greatly due to their proximity to Gibraltar. The enormous disparity in per capita income is evidence that there is more than one problem.
It is essential for the towns that enjoy this beautiful bay to agree on a model of coexistence that benefits all its inhabitants. The treaty will be signed, but if it does not resolve the underlying dispute, it will only be a prelude to others to come, with discomfort and grievances. When Spain joined the EU, it had to accept the agreements previously made within it, including Gibraltar's status, sponsored by the United Kingdom, which was an EU member at the time. Now that the United Kingdom is no longer part of the EU, Spain is asserting all its legitimate aspirations. And just as the aspirations of both sides of the fence are legitimate, why not find a way to reconcile them?
During the campaign, even though negotiations are suspended, the issue of "fiscal harmonization" came up again, and it is evidently a crucial topic in the negotiations, alongside border control, which seems more "symbolic than real" as all governments recognize the need for border controls. The fiscal matter requires creativity, as the people of Gibraltar are unlikely to willingly accept an increase in tax rates, while the neighboring Spanish population might willingly accept a reduction in VAT. If, as the Minister of the Interior (not Foreign Affairs, despite discussing Gibraltar) suggests, the Campo de Gibraltar is a region of "special uniqueness," then it would be beneficial to extend that uniqueness to a reduced VAT rate, similar to what is applied in the Canary Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla. This reduced VAT rate is also enjoyed by other European Union countries such as Croatia, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, and Romania.
Perhaps contemplating the disputes over Gibraltar or Ceuta and Melilla with Morocco, in a territory as extraordinarily unique as the one around the Strait of Gibraltar, would allow all affected countries to respond to these challenges by creating an AUTONOMOUS TERRITORY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION. Such a territory could harmonize monetary, fiscal, jurisdictional, and international policies, and all its inhabitants would undoubtedly improve their quality of life. However, in this election campaign so deeply polarized, such a vision is impossible to even be considered.