  |
Ferry services again sail into the picture
|
Up to 1969 there were regular and frequent sea ferry services between Gibraltar and Spain, but these were cut off unilaterall by Spain.
The United Kingdom and Spain agreed in 1984 that sea ferry links between the Spanish port of Algeciras and the port of Gibraltar would be renewed. In fact, Spain?s Council of Ministers issued a decree on the 31 January 1985 (published in the Boletin del Estado of the 5 February 1985) giving legal force to the restoration of maritime communications.
But guess what? Nothing happened!
Applications by commercial operators to resume maritime links were refused by the Spanish authorities. Representations were made by the UK Government to the EU Commission between 1990 and 1992 but no progress was made.
It is, of course, extraordinary that there should be a prohibition of transport links between two territories of the EU.
Last week, at the last round of tripartite talks, Britain, Spain and Gibraltar said: "We encourage and agree to facilitate the establishment of commercial maritime links between the port of Gibraltar and ports in Spain, especially in the bay, should there be commercial interest in establishing these links."
Given the performance of Spain in the past, even agreeing to resume ferry services and then refusing them, there will be many people in Gibraltar who will not believe a word of what was said at the tripartite talks...until they actually see the services restored, if they are restored.
It is to be expected that the matter will be taken seriously on this occasion, as already air links have been restarted.
Or is there something about the the sea link that does not meet the eye and does not make it plain sailing?
|
|
|
|
