Spain wants to 'harden' sanctions against bunkering in the bay; Minister's connections with the practice

Bunkering in the bay

GIBRALTAR Bunkering, the supply of fuel to ships at sea, is one of Gibraltar's most lucrative marine services. A couple of days ago, the Spanish Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Miguel Arias Cañete, announced that Spain was looking into creating sanctions against the practice under present tensions about fishing and territorial waters and warships headed for the Rock. An article dated February 2, 2012, in Europa Sur, said that 32.3% of all bunkering carried out for Spanish ports in 2011 happened in the Bay of Algeciras (a.k.a. Bay of Gibraltar). More recently, it was announced that several Spanish companies had bid for bunkering services through the Algeciras Port Authority - that is, not via Gibraltar, but offering the same services. One of these companies>>>

Frontier queues: UK ministerial complaint to Spanish Foreign Ministry

East Side, Saturday

GIBRALTAR / UK Foreign Secretary William Hague called his Spanish counterpart José Manuel García Margallo to raise his concern about the border queue over the weekend, which on Saturday reached up to six hours on one of the hottest days of the year. Word has it in Gibraltar that the delays are related to an artificial reef created to prevent fishing in disputed territorial waters surrounding the Rock. This morning, Monday, there were no unusual delays in the queue entering Gibraltar, according to eyewitness reports and the RGP on Twitter

(See also: Gibraltar Chronicle; Express; ITV; GibBook.com; BBC; YouTube (phone interview with CM Fabian Picardo)

Gotcha! Another one bites the dust on the Costa

Mark Lilley, One of the UK's most wanted criminals, caught at a (his?) villa in Alhaurín de la Torre, Málaga.

Historical connection between UK and Jimena

JIMENA Just made Facebook friends with someone who way back when (February 2010) wrote to CampoPulse (actually, JimenaPulse at the time) to ask if we could find out about her grandfather, who emigrated from Jimena to the UK. She is visiting Jimena next week, when we hope to find out more about him - and she's agreed to a short interview for CampoPulse. The image is a copy of her grandfather's entry of birth in the registry (Registro Civil) in Alberto.

Does the left hand know what the other one is doing? EHIC or no EHIC?

EU / UK / SPAIN Strange. In the same news piece on BBC R4 just the other day, two items that don't add up. One: the UK is being taken to court by the EU for its residency test immigration policy because it allegedly doesn't meet EU agreements or regulations on health coverage or much else. Two: The UK is asking Spain, presumably through the EU, why some EU citizens are being refused, or being charged for, emergency treatment even when they are carrying their EHIC card. Does anyone see anything amiss here, or is it just Prospero? (Actually, some of the answer at least to Item 2 may be found on the web page we got the picture from - or from the back of the EHIC card itself - below.)

British passports will no longer be processed in Spain

MADRID/LONDON As from Monday, May 13, British citizens needing a new passport will no longer have to send the application to the Madrid processing centre, but to the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) in Belfast instead. According to the head of the Madrid centre, Andy Hamilton, "All it means is a change of address." But it's more than that. The cost of sending an application to the UK is comparatively more costly, for a start. What is not clear is that, in order to receive a new pasport, charges for courier service (instead of the mail) will still apply - if so, those too are likely to be more expensive. While until recently phone calls to the passport helpline were charged at premium rates, from yesterday all it will require is>>>

What's wrong with an ID card for the UK?

OPINION (by Alberto Bullrich) It doesn't seem to have occurred to anyone that the problems about who should pay for what in the UK's NHS could in large part be solved with an identification document, not to mention a good proportion of the crime rate, court costs and an account of all immigrants. Yes, a national ID would cost several billion, but how much would it save in the future?>>>

Spain and five other countries investigate Google's privacy policy

(Image: ZDNet)

MADRID According to the communications authorities in Spain, Germany, France, Italy, The Netherlands and the UK, Google has not revised its privacy policy to reflect European regulations, so they are in the midst of planning measures against the Internet giant. Apparently, Google hasn't made any move since it was told to on October 27 last year, to adapt to the Euro rules nor to explain clearly and precisely what exact data it collects. Among many other more technical services, Google owns and runs the famous search engine, YouTube, Google+,  Gmail, Picasa, Android, Blogger, etc. etc. (A more detailed article on this subject will soon be available on SpainInformer.com)

Cameron and Rajoy to meet in Madrid next week

Meeting at 10 Downing Street
last February

The Gibraltar situation is on the agenda

MADRID The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sources say that UK Prime Minister David Cameron is to meet his Spanish counterpart, Mariano Rajoy in Madrid next Monday, although the fact has to be confirmed officially. This would be the first time they meet in Madrid, though they met last February in London and see each other periodically at EU summits. If the meeting is confirmed, two subjects are almost inevitably to be on the agenda: the economy and Gibraltar. There are plenty of discrepancies in both countries' positions on these subjects.

Gibraltar is in Spain ... ooops!

GIBRALTAR It has often been said that British education has completely abandoned Geography as part of any curriculum, among many other such subjects. Whether this incident, reported in The Gibraltar Chronicle, can be blamed on education is ... well, judge for yourself: "A Gibraltarian woman living in Britain who is a UK passport holder has won an unusual battle with the Home Office. When she had filled in her form she was shocked to have a document returned to her which listed her place of birth as: town Gibraltar; country - Spain. She sent it back corrected as pictured. Only after contacting them and making her views clear was this corrected. It appears that this was the default entry in the Home office computer system." (We wonder if the IT boffins at the Home Office can read a map, or do they rely on GoogleMaps, which is also full of errors?)

'So what's wrong with horse meat?'

While British authorities are thrashing about looking for someone to blame the horse meat 'scandal' on, in Spain, and no doubt in France, people are scratching their heads and wondering what all the fuss is about. They do understand, though, that if you are buying beef, you don't expect horse. Talking about why Spain and Holland are being blamed for producing the horse meat, we heard a comment heard this morning on the Spanish national news radio: 'Who cares where the horse meat comes from? It's where it's processed, or mixed in with the beef, that matters.' True enough. In the meantime, the BBC asks Why are the British revolted by the idea of  horsemeat? As for the pork mixed in, one can only feel for Jews and Muslims and anyone else not allowed it. But then, if they didn't know, they may yet get into Heaven.

Gibraltar Government statement following Guardia Civil actions on Friday

One of many incidents
(Photo: elmundo.es)

"...actions such as these [...] must be repelled by the Royal Navy ..." 

GIBRALTAR (Press release) "Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar has received confirmed reports that officers of the Guardia Civil vessel Rio Ceden boarded and took control of a Gibraltar registered vessel in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters and then forcibily conveyed it and its occupants to Algeciras at high speed and without navigational lights. They subsequently confiscated perfectly legal equipment aboard the vessel.  The individuals aboard the vessel were not suspected of being involved in any illicit activity of any kind. HM Government of Gibraltar condemns the actions of the relevant Spanish Civil Guards without reservation.  Official reports received by the Government state that the Guardia Civil even turned off the navigational lights on the Gibraltar vessel that they boarded and on their own vessel as well in an attempt to avoid detection. This points to the fact that they must have known that they were acting in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters where Spain has no jurisdiction.  It is important to recall that the Civil Guard commenced these illegal incursions in 2009, unrelated to any fishing dispute and that they have continued at regular intervals ever 

since. Indeed, at one point Spanish Civil Guards even entered the Port of Gibraltar and landed on our soil. This has been the case regardless of who was in Government in Spain or in Gibraltar.>>>

Britain calls Guardia Civil 'infamous' for arresting two Gibraltarians

Illustration only

Lidington "shocked by disgraceful behaviour"
MADRID (Agencies) The British government yesterday levelled energetic criticism against the Spanish authorities for the alleged arrest of two Gibraltarians in the sea that surrounds the Rock, an action Britain called 'intolerable and illegal'. Secretary of State for European Affairs David Lidington said he was "shocked by the disgraceful behaviour of the Spanish Guardia Civil" who he said detained the nationals in British Gibraltar territorial waters and transferred them to Spain on Friday." "The government will be making it clear to Spain that such action, on the part of the law enforcement agencies of a EU Partner and NATO Ally, is intolerable and unlawful," he warned. The move comes amid a row over fishing rights between Madrid and Gibraltar, a mostly self-governing British overseas territory on Spain's southern tip that overlooks the only entrance to the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht but has long argued that it should be returned to Spanish sovereignty. Britain refuses to renounce sovereignty against the wishes of Gibraltarians. According to the British government statement, the Spanish Guardia Civil intercepted a local Gibraltarian sports fishing boat approximately 200 meters (yards) off the coast of Gibraltar. The two were transferred to Algeciras in Spain before being released.

What is Anxiang Du living off?

(Image: Sky News)

GIBRALTAR/SPAIN/MOROCCO (Agencies and GibChronicle) Further to our report last Thursday, a Chinese businessman wanted on suspicion of murdering a family of four is likely to have evaded capture in Morocco for more than a year, a detective has said on a lightning visit to that country. Anxiang Du, 53, is thought to have fled the UK shortly after the deaths of university lecturer Jifeng “Jeff” Ding, his wife Ge “Helen” Chui and their two daughters Alice, 12, and Xing, 18. The family were found stabbed to death at their home in Wootton, Northamptonshire, on April 29 last year - the same day as the royal wedding.>>>

Crimestoppers wants our help: look out for this man on the Algeciras-Tangier ferry

ALGECIRAS (Agencies) Crimestoppers, the Northamptonshire police and the Spanish police authorities are seeking our help in detaining Anxiang Du, wanted for questioning in the murder of four members of the Ding family, the parents and two daughters aged 12 and 18, last April. The police suspect that the 53 year old may well be in the South of Spain or northern Morocco so the appeal for vigilance is aimed at users of the Algeciras-Tangier ferry, particularly during the summer crossing season (called Operación Paso del Estrecho), when passenger numbers multiply and it is easier for Anxiang Du to go unnoticed. Crimestoppers says that he should not be approached as he is considered very dangerous. There is a reward of up to £25,000 for information leading to his arrest. The Spanish phone number to report a sighting is 900 555 111, and the number in Britain is 0800 555 111.

Fake drugs arrests in Spain and UK

SPAIN / UK Four people were arrested recently in Spain, and two in the UK, as the result of an international operation against bogus medications that lasted several months. The suspects were allegedly importing counterfeit drugs from Asia, mainly China and Singapore, according to a report by Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). These were supposedly being distributed through Internet to clients all over Europe. In Britain alone the haul included tablets worth around €150,000, and including counterfeit versions of Pfizer’s Viagra and Eli Lilly’s Cialis, both used to treat erectile dysfunction, as well as the withdrawn anti-obesity drugs rimonabant and sibutramine. Spain was allegedly being used as a supply base from which distribution took place.>>>

Queen cancels trip to London in protest about Gibraltar fishing rights

(Photo: hola.com)

SPAIN/GIBRALTAR/UK (Agencies) Queen Sofía has cancelled a planned trip to London, originally scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, as part of Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee celebrations, at a luncheon at Windsor hosted by the Queen and Prince Philip. The Spanish Government deemed the visit 'inappropriate' given the present conflict between Spain and Britain over the rights of Spanish fishermen in the waters around Gibraltar. This is added to the three-day visit by Prince Edward planned for June 11. Diplomatic sources have said that the conflict was reopened after discussions between the Gibraltar Government and fishing representatives broke down last week. A third reason for the Spanish Government to advise the Royal Household to cancel Queen Sofía's visit to London, is the fact that the Royal Gibraltar Regiment is scheduled to play music in London as part of the Jubilee celebrations. Buckingham Palace was advised of the cancellation but has made no comment, the same position also being taken by the Foreign Office.

easyJet cancels Gib-Liverpool route

GIBRALTAR/UK According to the Gibraltar Chronicle, easyJet has removed its Gib-Liverpool route from its Winter 2012 schedule. The airline's website says that the route is for sale until October 27, so that must be the cut off date. The Chronicle quotes Ali Gayward, easyJet’s Commercial Manager: “easyJet has recently undertaken a review of underperforming routes, and following this review we can confirm that we will not operate flights between Gibraltar and Liverpool during our winter 2012 schedule.” Adding, “However, easyJet remains committed to serving Gibraltar and has recently increased its summer frequency on the London Gatwick route.”

Royal Gibraltar Regiment guards the Crown Jewels

Photo & text: panorama.gi

LONDON  (Panorama, Gibraltar) While the Royal Gibraltar Regiment has been engaged in public duties in London, much of the focus of attention has been on the soldiers at Buckingham and St James’s Palaces. But a third group of troops, based at the Tower of London, has been performing an equally important task - that of guarding the Crown Jewels. ‘As well as providing two sentries throughout the day, our primary role is to provide a Quick Reaction Force 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,’ explained Sgt Maj Dean Castrey. ‘Every day we carry out clearance patrols where we look for anything out of the ordinary, such as suspicious packages or tourists where they shouldn't be. In our time there haven’t been any incidents but not long ago a unit found a body washed up on the edge of the Thames by the Tower and it isn’t unusual for drunks to try to climb the walls of the Tower during the night.’>>>

Brit accused on drug charges, detained on European arrest warrant

LA LÍNEA (Agencies) Spanish Customs police arrested J.J.W., 53, a British citizen who was wanted under a European detention order in regard to a charge of drug trafficking. The man, and another, allegedly took part in the distribution of cocaine and Ecstasy in Glasgow. When his home in the UK was searched, according to local media reports, the police there found cocaine to the value of £200,000, as well as about £500 worth of Ecstasy tablets. After his arrest at the border, he was sent to Madrid, where he is 'at the disposal of the Courts' and extradition proceedings.