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It's always the same story, Mayor José Juan Franco Rodríguez knows that himself, but what should he do?
It's Monday morning in La Línea de la Concepción, and again the reporters are setting up their microphones and turning on the cameras in the town hall's plenary hall.
“The well-being of the people must come first,” explains Franco and, as so often, says: “We need the European spirit now.” And last but not least: “This is a last minute SOS.” Then the man resigns , and once again his words fade away unheard of.
At least for now.
Nowhere else in Europe did they look forward to the New Year with such great nervousness and tension as in the 60,000-inhabitant city in the very south of Spain.
The reason: Gibraltar borders La Línea, and while Brussels was able to announce a far-reaching agreement in the Brexit dispute between the European Union (EU) and Great Britain at Christmas, the British overseas territory was not mentioned at all.
And so a hard Brexit threatened here, on the last tip of the continent, just before Africa - where it would hurt particularly.
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Gibraltar and La Línea are two places full of contrasts: here the extremely wealthy British exclave, tax haven, tourist magnet.
There one of the poor houses in Spain, 40 percent unemployment, drug war, decay.
Even if Great Britain and Spain have been fighting over Gibraltar for 300 years, sometimes more and sometimes less - they are dependent on each other.
15,000 Spaniards go to work in Gibraltar every day, the 35,000 Gibraltarians go to the Spanish side for consumption.
And of course also because it can quickly get very tight on an area of 6.8 square kilometers.
On both sides, the border guards only checked the papers at random.
But now: Brexit.
The Gibraltarians' 96 percent vote to remain in the EU did not help either.
“We are now waiting four and a half years for a solution to be found for the people here.
But we are simply left alone, "said Mayor Franco on Monday after the press conference, as he excitedly walks through his office with cellphone in hand, hoping for good news:" If passport controls are introduced now, the suffering here will decrease even further to. "
“I don't know why nobody wants to understand that livelihoods are at stake here,” says Mayor Juan Franco
Source: Tim Röhn
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Cross-border commuters with a permanent employment contract could register for easier entry and exit, but many Spaniards work illegally in Gibraltar and can only enter and leave the country after waiting for hours: “I don't know why nobody wants to understand that people exist here are at stake ”, says Franco and shakes his head.
"Why do we care so much about Europe?"
In the background, Spanish and British government officials are struggling to find a deal.
Gibraltar's Prime Minister Fabian Picardo is silent, his spokesman asks for understanding on Tuesday: "These are very delicate negotiations." It is clear that Madrid and London are in agreement with Gibraltar joining the Schengen area.
Just: How is that supposed to work?
Spain wants to send officers from the Guardia Civil to the airport.
The Gibraltar parliamentarian Daniel Feetham tells WELT AM SONNTAG on the phone: “Spanish police officers should check my son's passport when he arrives from London?
No, that is absolutely unacceptable. ”The Johnson administration vetoed it.
The social project Mesa de Trabajo accuses Mayor Franco of passivity, who asks: "What should I do?"
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New Year's Eve is approaching and there is still no deal.
At the border, Spanish construction workers are rebuilding the border post, the hard Brexit is now very close.
Then, on Thursday afternoon, eight hours before the New Year, suddenly white smoke: there is an agreement.
Gibraltar actually becomes part of Schengen, but it is not the Guardia Civil that is supposed to check the passports of people entering and leaving the country, but officials from the EU border protection agency Frontex.
Mayor Franco sends an audio on WhatsApp, cheers: "This is a historic moment, I feel great satisfaction and relief."
Gibraltar and La Línea are two places full of contrasts - but one depends on each other
Source: Tim Röhn
Now it is time to implement it, many questions remain unanswered.
Who now controls the waters off Gibraltar?
What will happen to the border fence?
So far, tobacco, which is much cheaper in Gibraltar than in Spain, has been smuggled through this.
Now the fence loses its right to exist.
Currently there are only flights from Gibraltar to Great Britain, new destinations in the Schengen area are to be added.
At the border crossing, officials from both countries will do their normal duty on Friday morning.
Spanish social worker Alfonso Torres is considering going over to buy chocolate.
He doesn't trust the deal yet.
“I won't be happy until a contract has actually been signed.
Yesterday was only a small step, "he says:" Historical or not - after all, the devil is in the details. "
This text is from WELT AM SONNTAG. We will be happy to deliver them to your home on a regular basis.
Source: Welt am Sonntag