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‘Financial Rock’ CHIEF Minister Fabian Picardo called Gibraltar a ‘financial rock’ as he announced the British territory’s fast recovery from pandemic and Brexit woes during his budget speech in Parliament. Public sector workers in Gibraltar stand to get a lump sum of around £1,000 as part of the new budget discussed in parliament before going to press. Along with a tax reduction of 1%, it is one of the more concrete features of a budget that has seen public coffers lose just £15 million in contrast to £45 million predicted for 2022/23. The Gross Domestic Product is up to £2.55 billion this financial year, a growth of 7.5%. It puts Gibraltar’s per capita GDP at around $103,300 – around third or fourth in the world going by 2023 estimates. Picardo said that the debt to GDP ratio dropped to 22.4% from 25.6% and predicted it would have a £2.5 million surplus. Cash reserves in the Savings Bank and the Community Care fund were now at £67.5 million and 38 million respectively, he added.
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‘VOX CAN SAY WHAT THEY LIKE’ CHIEF Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo has slammed Spain’s Vox as residents fret at how hard the far-right party could make life for local people. Vox claims it will exert ‘all international pressure’ to reclaim the Rock in its manifesto, and the rhetoric has had locals scrambling for cover. It inaccurately labelled the Rock as a ‘web of piracy, drug-trafficking, contraband and money laundering’ and in 2021 said it wanted to ‘suffocate’ Gibraltar by closing the frontier. And Olive Press reader Marie Ross could not hide her concern in an email to the editor. “It is obvious that the possible rise to power of the right-wing coali-
Gibraltar begins to circle the wagons as residents fret that a rightwing victory in Spain’s upcoming election could spell doom for the Rock By John Culatto
tion will significantly complicate the difficult negotiation process on Gibraltar and will actually cancel all the previously achieved agreements,” she wrote. “Vox will actively promote a strong position on the Gibraltar issue in
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the government and in the legislative authorities, which would contribute to an escalation of the situation.” But Picardo slammed the CHIEF: Picardo speaking at the House of party directly Commons recently in a recent statement to the Euro- national pressure necessary to repean Scrutiny Committee at the cover that occupied territory’ is not UK’s House of Commons. so dissimilar to the Partido Popu“Vox can say what they like about lar. Gibraltar,” the Chief Minister In fact, the centre-right party roared back. speaks in a similar tone within its “Gibraltar is never going to be manifesto how it wanted to talk to Spanish – that’s the reality. the UK about ‘the decolonisation of “Whatever the political rhetoric, Gibraltar and the recovery of sovthat position is never going to ereignty’. change.” But Picardo pointed out to the EuHe summed up: “They are never ropean Scrutiny Committee that in going to get a finger on my land – its very next line the party suggests we will never allow them to.” it is still up for negotiation. The Rock’s leading politician has “We will address the post-Brexit already successfully sued Vox MP situation, defending Spanish inAugustin Rosety Fernandez de terests in fiscal, financial, environCastro for defaming him on Twit- mental and security matters, and ter. we will pay special attention to the Gibraltar’s Supreme Court in free movement of people,” the PP 2022 forced the Cadiz MP to pay manifesto pledged. £20,000 in damages which Picar- This prompted Picardo to express do then donated to charity. hope that a deal is still possible Hope remains even with the PP in government, as But the Vox party in its manifesto the Spanish conservatives were the has not completely ruled out a ne- ones who kicked off the New Year’s gotiating position in the talks, even Eve talks in the first place. if it delivers a narrow mandate. “We must not fall into the trap of The far-right party said it would putting rhetoric over reality,” he only ‘reject any agreement between said. the EU and the UK that does not “There are opportunities to continrespect the sovereign rights of ue on the same track and I won’t Spain over Gibraltar’. give up on pursuing [them],” the And its goal of ‘applying all inter- Gibraltarian political leader added.