  |
Caruana calls for Andorra status for Gibraltar
|
by our Political correspondent
The chief minister Peter Caruana has called for Gibraltar to have a status similar to that of Andorra, the mini-state sandwiched between Spain and France. The heads of state of Andorra are two co-princes, the president of France and the Bishop of Seu d'Urgell representing Spain.
Mr Caruana was speaking at the 'Forum Europa-Tribuna Andalucia' in Seville yesterday.
Reports say that he put forward this status for Gibraltar, to be reached by negotiations between Spain and Britain in which the people of Gibraltar would be consulted in a referendum. He also wants Gibraltar's 'democratic and modern rights' to be taken into account.
The Spanish foreign minister terinidad Jimenez said earlier that a solution to the sovereignty of Gibraltar should be resolved by bilateral talks between Spain and Britain only. It has long been the Spanish position, again reaffirmed by Spain, that Gibraltar cannot take part in negotiations about its sove reignty.
It will be recalled that in 2002, Britain and Spain negotiated bilaterally a joint-sovereignty status which was overwhelmingly rejected by the Gibraltarians in a referendum.
In Seville yesterday, Mr Caruana said that negotiations that excluded the Gibraltarians would be an error.
Spain cannot go around the world preaching about human and democratic rights, and its policy on Gibraltar does not reflect that.
Or we spend another 300 years with our backs to each other, or we enter into a democratic process, he said.
ANDORRA
Until recently, Andorra's political system had no clear division of powers into executive, legislative, and judicial branches. A constitution was ratified and approved in 1993. The constitution establishes Andorra as a sovereign parliamentary democracy that retains as its heads of state two co-princes.
The fundamental impetus for this political transformation was a recommendation by the Council of Europe in 1990 that, if Andorra wished to attain full integration into the European Union (EU), it should adopt a modern constitution, which guarantees the rights of those living and working there.
Under the 1993 constitution, the co-princes continue as heads of state, but the head of government retains executive power. The two co-princes serve co-equally with limited powers that do not include veto over government acts. They are represented in Andorra by a delegate. As co-princes of Andorra, the President of France and the Bishop of Seu d'Urgell maintain supreme authority in approval of all international treaties with France and Spain, as well as all those that deal with internal security, defence, Andorran territory, diplomatic representation, and judicial or penal cooperation. Although the institution of the co-princes is viewed by some as an anachronism, the majority sees them as both a link with Andorra's traditions and a way to balance the power of Andorra's two much larger neighbours.
By creating a modern legal framework for the country, the 1993 constitution has allowed Andorra to begin a shift from an economy based largely on tax-free shopping to one based on tourism and international banking and finance.
Over the short term, Andorra will continue to confront a number of difficult issues- and the need to develop the institutions necessary to address them including the tax reform. In addition to questions of Andorran nationality and immigration policy, other priority issues will include the aforementioned housing shortage, real estate speculation, tourism, and refining its relationship with the European Union.
*Principal Government Officials:
Co-Prince--Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France
Co-Prince--Joan Enric Vives i Sicilia, Bishop of Seu d'Urgell, Spain
Head of Government--Jaume Bartumeu
26-11-10
|
|
|
|
