'Carracao: The toll will never happen' says Panorama

GIBRALTAR / Panorama / David Eade in Spain None other than our good friend David Eade interviews the former Mayor of Jimena and now PSOE Senate spokesperson for foreign affairs José Carracao. This is his article: As the row between the government in Madrid and La Línea town hall, or PSOE and the PP – depending on which way you look at it, enters the legal phase the socialist senator José Carracao has stated emphatically – the toll will never happen. Carracao has the benefit of knowing the Campo de Gibraltar and the Rock well from his time as mayor of Jimena and president of the local association of town halls. He also speaks in the Senate for PSOE on foreign affairs with a special emphasis on Gibraltar and cross border relations.>

Asked about the possible social conflict in La Línea if the toll was imposed between the Spanish workers who cross the border each day to work on the Rock plus the opposition of the major UGT and CC.OO unions Carracao stated: “The toll is never going to be a reality. Madrid has now begun legal actions to put a break on the boastful actions of the mayor. I can see no other outcome.”

If the toll goes ahead not only could there be social unrest in the border town but relations with Gibraltar and the UK would be badly damaged. Carracao said: “I want to send this message to the Rock of tranquillity to our Gibraltarian neighbours. The toll will not be implemented.”

Has this situation changed from being a battle between La Línea and Madrid and is now between the PSOE government and the Partido Popular leadership? The Senator said: “It started as an attempt by the mayor to escape the bad management of first GIL and then the PP administrations in La Línea. Now it has the support of the PP in Madrid and Sevilla because it is another form of attack on the PSOE government.”

Spain has had unruly town halls before. However the situation of the toll is unique in that it breaks Spanish and EU laws and if implemented would have international implications between Spain and the UK. In that instance could either Madrid or the Andalucía government step in and remove Alejandro Sánchez or the Partido Popular administration.

Carracao explained: “The intentions of La Línea town hall, although inopportune and illegal, are not a reason for the dissolution of the corporation.”

The regional government stepped in at Marbella town hall during the corruption scandal and replaced the elected administration with an administrative body that ruled till the next elections. The Partido Popular has urged similar action is taken in Estepona where the mayor Antonio Barrientos has been arrested for corruption in the Astapa case along with other councillors and officials. However Sevilla has refused to repeat the exercise as it says there are enough councillors to continue to run the municipality as an elected council. The cynic would also note that Andalucía and Estepona are ruled by PSOE.

I have been writing about Gibraltar long enough to remember a number of instances when the imposition of direct rule from London was openly discussed as being imminent. Yet it is hard to see how a duly elected administration in La Línea or Estepona or the government in Gibraltar could be legitimately usurped. Marbella was a special case as the mayor, deputy mayors and many councillors from a variety of parties (GIL, PSOE, PA) were all under arrest. Therefore whatever happens at the border it seems we are stuck with Alejandro Sánchez as the mayor of La Línea until the people of the border town vote otherwise.

Last word to the senator who was anxious to stress: “I would really urge the people of Gibraltar to remains calm because the strange behavior of the mayor will not be allowed to ruin our friendship.”