*Spain’s PSOE Government and the Andalusian PP last week preached ‘shared prosperity’
*Campo de Gibraltar’s interests seem paramount to both, with “balanced growth” being sought
*Both insist on Spain’s sovereignty position being guaranteed
*Vox’s call to close frontier respectfully minimised by PP
*Meanwhile, few of us and our MPs at limited Jubilee Celebrations demonstrating our identity
*For there to be sharing, any Gibexit ‘deal’ must allow for Gibraltar to prosper
SPAIN’S GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION AGREED
The message from Spain last week has shifted to one of achieving ‘shared prosperity’ with the Campo de Gibraltar in a Gibexit ‘deal’ between the EU and the UK over Gibraltar.
Spain’s new message is being put out by senior members of both, the Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) Spanish Government, and now, Spain’s Partido Popular (PP) Opposition, the latter at a regional Andalusian level.
It seems that they may both be reading from a very similar hymn-sheet, although national Spanish politics, which may engage Vox with the PP in the future, may still spoil the party.
At the same time few of us remained in Gibraltar to emphasise our separate identity, for the limited celebrations that were organised, to commemorate the 70th year of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, her Platinum Jubilee.
PSOE GOVERNMENT AND PP OPPOSITION IN SAME PLACE?
The Gibexit negotiations are ongoing, with little or no outcome publicly visible, beyond what Spain’s ministers and politicians let out of the bag of secrecy surrounding the talks. In the last few days party spokespersons of both the PSOE and PP have said a little more.
They have both indicated a similar perspective, which they say is being sought in the Gibexit talks. It involves ‘shared prosperity’, and not the rejected ‘joint sovereignty’.
It is a ‘shared prosperity’ born of a treaty with the EU, which necessarily must cede elements of power and control to the EU, which is represented by Spain in this part of the EU. It is a treaty that the EU will not reach without Spain’s full agreement.
PSOE STATEMENTS
The PSOE Spanish Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albares, last week said, about the Gibexit talks, “We are progressing at a good pace. There is sufficient agreement in many areas to allow drafting … to begin.”
He added that, “We’re moving towards a new model, one of shared prosperity for the Campo de Gibraltar.”, whilst expressing hope “that very soon we’ll be able to reach agreement.”, one that achieves “that area of shared prosperity”.
He qualified that by saying, “An agreement that, while guaranteeing Spain’s position on sovereignty, is mutually beneficial for the Campo de Gibraltar.”
He explained that ‘shared prosperity’ meant “balanced growth” in the Campo de Gibraltar, with the negotiations having the interests of the Campo’s 270,000 inhabitants at its heart. He said, “It’s them, their needs, and aspiration that guide me.”
PP PRONOUNCEMENTS
At the same time Juan Manuel Moreno, who is the PP President of the Junta de Andalucía, and the main candidate for the PP in the forthcoming regional elections in Andalucía, was promoting that any Gibexit agreement, which may be reached, should benefit both the Campo de Gibraltar and Gibraltar.
He said, “I hope that an agreement on Brexit is reached to provide solutions for the workers, goods, and services that we share. We need to provide security and stability both for workers and for the flow of those goods and services.”
He added, in the context of emphasising that “closing the border meant sending 11,000 families to the dole”, “Right now, in the context of the Campo de Gibraltar, it means breaking a negotiation and a dialogue that we currently have, not only with the UK, but with Gibraltar and the Gibraltarians.”
In a tone of appeasement, he pointed out, “I want to say to the Gibraltarians that we are part of the same culture, the same geographical space, the same natural space. And as such, I have maximum esteem and affection for them. We must find a formula that allows us to be efficient in the management of the shared spaces we have …”.
“[Politics] is not about kicking the table, because anger never fed anyone. We need common sense. Politics, especially on national issues, requires a calm and sensible approach with a long-term, not short-term view.”
However, he kept to Spain’s well-known position, “We must find a formula that allows us to be efficient in the management of the shared spaces we have, obviously without abandoning the position, which as a Spaniard I will always maintain …”
At a national level in Spain the PP will have its eyes on forming the next national government. In that quest the PP may need the support of Vox, who propagate the closure of the frontier with Gibraltar. In that context the PP’s Mr. Moreno, whilst respecting Vox’s view, referred to his belief that Vox lacked understanding of Andalusian politics.
Continued at the link.