Rocky ride for Gradin

Date: 13/03/1997

Gibraltar is really rattling the Spanish these days. A recent visit to Brussels by a ministerial delegation from the Rock was snubbed by Spanish Commission officials and European Parliament President José-María Gil-Robles.

Now Spanish Euro MPs are up in arms because Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Anita Gradin visited the Rock and dared to express support for the notion that Gibraltar should “fly its own flag” by opening an information office in Brussels.

A written complaint to the Commission from Christian Democrat Carlos Robles Piquer and Socialist Enrique Barón Crespo also accused Gradin of breaking EU regulations by not informing the relevant authorities before carrying out an “inspection” of the custom posts which sit on the tiny disputed “border” between Spain and Gibraltar. “Is the Commission aware that Gibraltar does not have its own flags?” the MEPs blustered.

The Commission's reply has been to reject the claim that Gradin was making an official inspection, pointing out that she was on a mission to tackle the drug smuggling problem.